Saint Turibius of Astorga ( es, Santo Toribio de Astorga; ''
fl.'' 446, died 460) was an
archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in the Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion, St Thomas Christians, Eastern Orthodox churches and some other Christian denominations, above that o ...
of
Tui and an early
Bishop of Astorga
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Astorga ( la, Asturicensis) is a diocese whose seat is in the city of Astorga, in the province of León, Castile and León, Spain.[Nicene Christianity
The original Nicene Creed (; grc-gre, Σύμβολον τῆς Νικαίας; la, Symbolum Nicaenum) was first adopted at the First Council of Nicaea in 325. In 381, it was amended at the First Council of Constantinople. The amended form is a ...]
against the
Galician heresy of
Priscillianism
Priscillianism was a Christian sect developed in the Iberian Peninsula under the Roman Empire in the 4th century by Priscillian. It is derived from the Gnostic doctrines taught by Marcus, an Egyptian from Memphis. Priscillianism was later conside ...
, for which he received a supportive letter from
Leo the Great, which still survives.
Turibius held a local
synod
A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word ''wikt:synod, synod'' comes from the meaning "assembly" or "meeting" and is analogous with the Latin ...
in 446. After his death at Astorga in 460 he was revered as a saint. According to tradition, his
relics
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 ...
, along with a piece of the ''
lignum crucis
The True Cross is the cross upon which Jesus was said to have been crucified, particularly as an object of religious veneration. There are no early accounts that the apostles or early Christians preserved the physical cross themselves, although ...
'' he had brought from
Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
, were transferred to the
Monastery of Liébana around the middle of the eighth century.
His feast day is April 16 in the
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
. He is usually portrayed with a mitre and is not to be confused with
Turibius of Liébana
Turibius of Liébana (''fl.'' '), also known as Turbius the Monk (''Turibius Monachus'', ''Toribio el Monje''), was an early Benedictine monk. He was born probably in Turieno and spent most of his life in the region of Liébana. He received a lett ...
.
Notes
Bibliography
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External links
Catholic Online: Turibius of Astorga
460 deaths
People from Astorga, Spain
Saints from Hispania
5th-century deaths
Bishops of Astorga
5th-century bishops in Hispania
5th-century Christian saints
Year of birth unknown
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