The Presbyters Project

X.19

Bishop Egidius of Reims was accused by King Childebert of plotting against him with King Chilperic. King Childebert ordered the bishops of his realm to come to Metz to participate in Egidius' trial.

Cumque de huiuscemodi causis altercatio diutius traheretur, adfuit et abba Epifanius basilicae sancti Remegii, dicens, quod duo milia aureorum speciesque multas pro conservanda regis Chilperici amicitia accepisset.

There are some other witnesses that corroborate Epifanius' testimony.

Haec eo negante, abba, qui fuerat semper in his consiliorum archanis particeps, locum hominem que denominat, ubi et qui aureos, quos diximus, detulisset, et qualiter de excidio regionis ac regis Gunthchramni conventum fuerat, ut gestum est, ex ordine denarravit.

Bishop Egidius is convicted, demoted from his office, and exiled.

In cuius locum Romulfus, filius Lupi ducis, iam presbiterii honore praeditus, episcopus subrogatus est, Epifanio abbatis officio, qui basilicae sancti Remegii praeerat, remoto.

(ed. Krusch 1937: 512-513; summarised by J. Szafranowski)

X.19

The legal argument about these charges and others of the same nature went on for a long time. Then Epifanius, the abbot of the church of Saint Remigius [in Reims], appeared in court and gave evidence that Egidius had received, among many other things, two thousand pieces of gold to maintain friendship with King Chilperic.

There are some other witnesses that corroborate Epifanius' testimony.

[Egidius] denied that all this was true. However, the abbot, who had always been involved in Egidius' secret plans, gave the name of the man who had conveyed the pieces of gold about which we have told you and of the actual place where they had been handed over. He described in full detail the plans which they had made for the devastation of the region concerned, for the killing of King Guntram and for all that had happened subsequently.

Bishop Egidius is convicted, demoted from his office, and exiled.

Romulfus, the son of Duke Lupus, who had been already given the honour of the presbyter, was elected bishop in his place. Epifanius was deposed from his position as abbot of the church of Saint Remigius.

(trans. Thorpe 1974: 578-580; altered and summarised by J. Szafranowski)

Discussion:

Judging by the place of this passus in Gregory's narrative, Egidius and Epifanius were convicted in 590.

Abba Epifanius was almost certainly a presbyter responsible for the basilica of Saint Remigius in Reims, rather than a monastic supervisor. More on presbyters described as abba, see Pietri 1983.

It is impossible to determine in which diocese Romulfus was serving as a presbyter. It is likely that he was a presbyter at the court of King Childebert, just as the presbyter Theutharius was at the time (see [873]).

Place of event:

Region

Gaul

City

Reims
Metz

About the source:

Author: Gregory of Tours
Title: The History of the Franks, Gregorii episcopi Turonensis historiarum libri X, Histories
Origin: Tours (Gaul)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

Gregory of Tours (Gaul) wrote his ten books of Histories (known commonly in English as the History of the Franks) during his episcopal reign in Tours between 573 and 594. The books vary in scope and length. The first book covers 5,596 years from the creation of the world to AD 397, that is the death of Saint Martin of Tours, Gregory`s predecessor in bishopric. The second book deals with the history of Gaul between 397 and 511, the latter being the year of death of King Clovis I. The third and fourth books cover the next 64 years till the death of Austrasian King Sigibert II in 575. Finally, the following six books describe exclusively the sixteen years from 575 to 591. Probably in 594, Gregory added the list of bishops of Tours in the end of the Histories, with brief accounts of their actions.

Edition:

B. Krusch ed., Gregorii Episcopi Turonensis Historiarum Libri X [in:] Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Scriptores rerum Merovingiciarum 1.1, Hannover 1884 (repr. 1951): 1-537.

Translation:

Gregory of Tours, The History of the Franks, trans. L. Thorpe, London 1974.

Bibliography:

L. Pietri, Les abbés de basilique dans la Gaule du VIe siècle, "Revue d'histoire de l'Église de France" 69 (1983), pp. 5-28.

Categories:

Social origin or status - Social elite

PR879.

Travel and change of residence

PR878.

Further ecclesiastical career - Bishop

PR879.

Functions within the Church - Urban presbyter

PR878.

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος

PR879.

Described by a title - Abba

PR878.

Ecclesiastical administration - Participation in councils and ecclesiastical courts

PR878.

Public law - Ecclesiastical

PR878.

Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior

PR878.

Administration of justice - Ecclesiastical

PR878.

Administration of justice - Demotion

PR878.

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1940, http://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1940