Saint Salvius of Amiens (or Sauve, Salin, Salinius, Salve, Salvinus, Sauflieu, Saulve, Sauvre; died ) was a 7th-century
bishop of Amiens
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Amiens (Latin: ''Dioecesis Ambianensis''; French: ''Diocèse d'Amiens'') is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. The diocese comprises the department of Somme, of which the city of Ami ...
. His feast day is 11 January.
Life and legacy
Salvius was said to come from a wealthy family of
Amiens
Amiens (English: or ; ; pcd, Anmien, or ) is a city and commune in northern France, located north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in the region of Hauts-de-France. In 2021, the population of ...
.
He studied divinity from his youth, and led a very pure life.
After his youth, he founded a monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary in
Montreuil, and became a monk and then abbot.
Attracted by solitude, he wanted to retire to a cell, but instead was placed at the head of the diocese of Amiens.
Salvius was Bishop of Amiens at the end of the 6th century.
He assiduously traveled through his diocese, proclaiming to all the word of eternal life, and did much to uproot the last vestiges of paganism from the hearts of his flock.
He built the first cathedral in the center of the city.
Salvius's body was transported to Montreuil, in the
Diocese of Arras
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Arras (–Boulogne–Saint-Omer) (Latin: ''Dioecesis Atrebatensis (–Bononiena–Audomarensis)''; French: ''Diocèse d'Arras (–Boulogne–Saint-Omer)'') is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church ...
, where he is still venerated.
The town of
Saint-Saulve
Saint-Saulve () is a Communes of France, commune in the Nord (French department), Nord Departments of France, department in northern France.
The town is named after Saint Salvius of Amiens (died ), a bishop of Amiens.
Population
Heraldry
See ...
on the northern outskirts of
Valenciennes
Valenciennes (, also , , ; nl, label=also Dutch, Valencijn; pcd, Valincyinnes or ; la, Valentianae) is a commune in the Nord department, Hauts-de-France, France.
It lies on the Scheldt () river. Although the city and region experienced a s ...
is named after him.
A triptych in the parish church is dedicated to St Saulve, protector of cattle and crops.
According to Catholic tradition, Salvius discovered the remains of the martyr
Fermin
Fermin (also Firmin, from Latin ''Firminus''; Spanish ''Fermín'') was a legendary holy man and martyr, traditionally venerated as the co-patron saint of Navarre, Spain. His death may be associated with either the Decian persecution (250) or Dioc ...
in Abladène, on the outskirts of Amiens, and had them transferred to the city's cathedral.
Sculptures in the choir of the cathedral of Notre-Dame d'Amiens depict the events: Bishop Salvius at the pulpit asking the faithful to find Firmin's body, discovery of the relics at a place called Abladène on the road to
Noyon
Noyon (; pcd, Noéyon; la, Noviomagus Veromanduorum, Noviomagus of the Veromandui, then ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Oise Departments of France, department, northern France.
Geography
Noyon lies on the river Oise (river), Oise, a ...
, transport of the body which heals cripples and restores leaves to the wintry trees as it passes.
Baring-Gould's account
Sabine Baring-Gould
Sabine Baring-Gould ( ; 28 January 1834 – 2 January 1924) of Lew Trenchard in Devon, England, was an Anglican priest, hagiographer, antiquarian, novelist, folk song collector and eclectic scholar. His bibliography consists of more than 1,240 ...
(1834–1924) in his ''Lives Of The Saints'' wrote under January 11,
Monks of Ramsgate account
The monks of
St Augustine's Abbey, Ramsgate
St Augustine's Abbey or Ramsgate Abbey is a former Benedictine abbey in Ramsgate. It was built in 1860 by Augustus Pugin and is a Grade II listed building. It was the first Benedictine monastery to be built in England since the Reformation. In ...
wrote in their ''Book of Saints'' (1921),
Butler's account
The hagiographer
Alban Butler
Alban Butler (13 October 171015 May 1773) was an English Roman Catholic priest and hagiographer.
Biography
Alban Butler was born in 1710, at Appletree, Aston le Walls, Northamptonshire, the second son of Simon Butler, Esq. His father died when ...
(1710–1773) wrote in his ''Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Other Principal Saints'' under January 11,
Notes
Citations
Sources
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Salvius
7th-century Frankish saints
610s deaths
Year of birth unknown
Year of death uncertain