Saint Galactorius (french: Saint Galactoire) was a

bishop of Lescar The Roman Catholic Diocese of Lescar (Latin: ''Dioecesis Lascurrensis;'' French language, French: ''Diocèse de Lescar''; Basque language, Basque: ''Leskarreko elizbarrutia''), in south-western France, was founded in the fifth century, and contin ...

in the early 6th century. His feast is celebrated on 27 July.''Évêques et la Cathédrale de Lescar: Des origines à la Réforme''. D.Labau. Pau, 1972, p. 31

Life

Galactorius took part in 506 in the

Council of Agde The Council of Agde was a regional synod held in September 506 at Agatha or Agde, on the Mediterranean coast east of Narbonne, in the Septimania region of the Visigothic Kingdom, with the permission of the Visigothic King Alaric II. The Council ...

, when he was described as "Galactorius, episcopus de Benarno", along with the bishops Saint

Gratus of Oloron Saint Gratus of Oloron (french: Grat d'Oloron; ca, Grat d'Auloron; also known, from his place of birth, as ''Grat de Lichos'') (born 5th century; died after 506) was the first bishop of Oloron. He is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Ch ...

and Gratianus of Dax, as well as several delegates of the bishops of Tarbes and of Aire. His tenure as bishop is attested and it is known that his diocese was well administered.

Legend

The legend, told in the

breviary A breviary (Latin: ''breviarium'') is a liturgical book used in Christianity for praying the canonical hours, usually recited at seven fixed prayer times. Historically, different breviaries were used in the various parts of Christendom, such a ...

Lescar Lescar (; oc, Lescar) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department and Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France. Lescar is the site of the Roman city known variously as Benearnum, Beneharnum or Civitas Benarnensium, the loca ...

, printed in 1541, portrays Galactorius fighting the

Visigoth The Visigoths (; la, Visigothi, Wisigothi, Vesi, Visi, Wesi, Wisi) were an early Germanic people who, along with the Ostrogoths, constituted the two major political entities of the Goths within the Roman Empire in late antiquity, or what is kno ...

s at

Mimizan Mimizan (; oc, Mamisan) is a commune in the Landes department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in south-western France. There are two separate districts of the town: Mimizan-Bourg (town center) and Mimizan-Plage (resort). Geography Mimizan is a seaside ...

in 506 at the head of an armed band and seeking help from

Clovis Clovis may refer to: People * Clovis (given name), the early medieval (Frankish) form of the name Louis ** Clovis I (c. 466 – 511), the first king of the Franks to unite all the Frankish tribes under one ruler ** Clovis II (c. 634 – c. 657), ...

. Taken prisoner, he is said to have met a martyr's death, refusing to abjure his

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

faith.''Mimizan, Clins d'œil au passé'', Georges Cassagne, édition Atlantica, 2007, p 14 A religious building is said to have been raised in his honour on the site, later replaced by the belltower of the church of Mimizan. Vitrail St Galactoire Mimizan

Interpretation

It is difficult to conceive of the bishop, despite his possible sympathy with Clovis, taking arms in 506 against

Alaric II Alaric II ( got, 𐌰𐌻𐌰𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍃, , "ruler of all"; la, Alaricus; – August 507) was the King of the Visigoths from 484 until 507. He succeeded his father Euric as king of the Visigoths in Toulouse on 28 December 484; he was ...

, who had just given evidence of his tolerance for Roman Catholics by authorising them to hold a council. It is more likely that Galactorius was at Mimizan towards 507 to meet the

bishop of Bordeaux The Archdiocese of Bordeaux (–Bazas) (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Burdigalensis (–Bazensis)''; French: ''Archidiocèse de Bordeaux (–Bazas)''; Occitan: ''Archidiocèsi de Bordèu (–Vasats)'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or a ...

and was surprised by Visigoth troops retreating towards the

Pyrenees The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to C ...

after having been routed at the

Battle of Vouillé The Battle of Vouillé (from Latin ''Campus Vogladensis'') was fought in the northern marches of Visigothic territory, at Vouillé, near Poitiers (Gaul), in the spring of 507 between the Franks, commanded by Clovis, and the Visigoths, command ...

by the Frankish army. Doubtless humiliated by their defeat, hostile to Roman Catholics and eager for vengeance, such a group would easily have put to death the Catholic bishop of Lescar.

Relics

The

relic In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tangi ...

s of Galactorius were preserved until the

Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...

in a casket beneath the high altar of

Lescar Cathedral Lescar Cathedral (french: Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de Lescar) is a Roman Catholic church and former cathedral dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It is located in the town of Lescar, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France. It has ...

. It is unknown when, and how, they disappeared.Site Nominis
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References

{{reflist Martyred Roman Catholic bishops 6th-century Christian saints