Saint Cassian of Autun (french: Cassien) (died ca. 350 AD) was a 4th-century
bishop of Autun
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Autun (–Chalon-sur-Saône–Mâcon–Cluny) (Latin: ''Dioecesis Augustodunensis (–Cabillonensis–Matisconensis–Cluniacensis)''; French: ''Diocèse d'Autun (–Chalon-sur-Saône–Mâcon–Cluny)''), more simpl ...
. He may have been an
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
ian by birth.
[Benedictine Monks, ''Book of the Saints'' (Kessinger Publishing, 2003), p. 59.] He traveled to
Autun and was a follower of
Saint Reticius
Saint Reticius (or ''Rheticus, Rheticius'') (french: Saint Rhétice, link=no) (early 4th century) was a bishop of Autun, the first one known to history, according to the ''Catholic Encyclopedia''. He was a Gallo-Roman, and an ecclesiastical writ ...
, bishop of Autun.
Cassian succeeded Reticius as bishop, serving for about twenty years, and was well liked by the people of his see.
Gregory of Tours
Gregory of Tours (30 November 538 – 17 November 594 AD) was a Gallo-Roman historian and Bishop of Tours, which made him a leading prelate of the area that had been previously referred to as Gaul by the Romans. He was born Georgius Florenti ...
attributes
miracles to Cassian.
After the peace bought by
Constantine
Constantine most often refers to:
* Constantine the Great, Roman emperor from 306 to 337, also known as Constantine I
* Constantine, Algeria, a city in Algeria
Constantine may also refer to:
People
* Constantine (name), a masculine given na ...
he had a vision and decided to embark with some companions to evangelize the Britons. Getting as far as
Autun, he became the assistant of Saint Rhétice Autun.
On the death of Rhétice, he was elected bishop. he pursued the evangelization of
Éduens and held the office for twenty years of episcopate. He was buried in St. Peter. Gregory of Tours, who came to Autun two centuries after his death, said he saw a great veneration on his tomb. The grave stone dust was reputed to cure all ills.
The abbot of Saint-Quentin in Vermandois wishing to obtain the relics of the saint who was in great miracles made the request to Modon bishop of Autun. He obtained the precious relic, and the body was taken to his monastery around the year 820.
Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald (french: Charles le Chauve; 13 June 823 – 6 October 877), also known as Charles II, was a 9th-century king of West Francia (843–877), king of Italy (875–877) and emperor of the Carolingian Empire (875–877). After a ser ...
restored the reliquary with a magnificent reliquary stored in the crypt of the Basilica of Saint-Quentin.
Highly revered in the Middle Ages, there were many celebrations of this saint, 1 January, February 9, 2 May, July 16, November 14, many dates of events in his life, like his arrival in Autun, his ordination and the various dates translations of his reliques.
Often confused with other Cassian, is the patron saint of the Church of Savigny-lès-Beaune since 1443, he is also the patron saint of three villages in Burgundy (Côte d'Or): Athie, Ecutigny and Veilly.
[Denis Diderot: " L'Encyclopédie " (Berne & Lausanne 1780). Vol XXIV.]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cassian of Autun
Saints from Roman Egypt
Bishops of Autun
350 deaths
Gallo-Roman saints
Year of birth unknown
Egyptian emigrants to France