Saint Palladius of Embrun (, ) (d. ca. 541 AD) was a 6th-century bishop of Embrun. Born to a

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

family, he studied under Catulin, bishop of Embrun, who had attended the Council of Épaone in 517.Forum Orthodoxe Francophone
/ref> When the

Arians Arianism (, ) is a Christological doctrine which rejects the traditional notion of the Trinity and considers Jesus to be a creation of God, and therefore distinct from God. It is named after its major proponent, Arius (). It is considered h ...

and

Sigismund of Burgundy Sigismund (; died 524 AD) was List of kings of Burgundy, King of the Burgundians from 516 until his death. He was the son of king Gundobad and Caretene. He succeeded his father in 516. Sigismund and his brother Godomar were defeated in battle b ...

opposed the council, Catulin was exiled to Vienne. Palladius accompanied him there, and took the opportunity to extensively study Scripture. Palladius was ordained a priest and, according to legend, gained the gift of

prophecy In religion, mythology, and fiction, a prophecy is a message that has been communicated to a person (typically called a ''prophet'') by a supernatural entity. Prophecies are a feature of many cultures and belief systems and usually contain di ...

. He is said to have predicted the fall and death of Sigismund. Catulin died around 518, and Palladius would later be elected bishop of Embrun. During his episcopate he built numerous churches, in

Chorges Chorges (; Vivaro-Alpine: ''Chorge'') is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France. It is close to Gap. The name ''Chorges'' derives from Latin ''Catorimagus'', itself coming from the Alpine tribe of the Caturiges in t ...

, Sauze, and

Rama Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda' ...

, as well as sanctuaries dedicated to

Saint Martin of Tours Martin of Tours (; 316/3368 November 397) was the third bishop of Tours. He is the patron saint of many communities and organizations across Europe, including France's Third Republic. A native of Pannonia (present-day Hungary), he converted to ...

, and Saints Vincent, Orontius, and Victor, as well as to Genesius of Arles. One source states that Palladius "possessed an exceptional efficacy in obtaining whatever he petitioned God for."St. Palladius - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online
/ref> Many miracles were attributed to him, and, besides the gift of prophecy, he enjoyed a "mystical familiarity with the

angels An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...

... ndsuccessfully defeated the machinations of the

devil A devil is the mythical personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conce ...

simply by making the

sign of the cross Making the sign of the cross (), also known as blessing oneself or crossing oneself, is both a prayer and a ritual blessing made by members of some branches of Christianity. It is a very significant prayer because Christians are acknowledging ...

Veneration

Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...

, he is known as ''Patllari'' or ''Pal•ladi''. According to a legend associated with his

relics In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains or personal effects of a saint or other person preserved for the purpose of veneration as a tangible memorial. Reli ...

, some

Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...

monks decided to go to Embrun to steal Palladius' relics to take them with them to

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

. Once they were in possession of the relics, the monks placed them in a container, which was carried by a donkey. When the travelers reached the outskirts of the town of

Camprodon Camprodon (; from ''Camp Rodó'' "Round Field", ultimately from Latin ''Campus Rotundus'') is a small town in the Comarques of Catalonia, comarca of Ripollès in Province of Girona, Girona, Catalonia, Spain, located in the Pyrenees, near the Fren ...

, the animal refused to travel any longer and did not move. The monks tried to get the donkey to budge, but the animal refused. It stamped its feet against the ground: miraculously, three springs of water gushed out from the ground where the donkey had stamped its feet. The monks let the donkey go free. The animal wandered into the town, passing the churches of Carme, Santa Maria, entering the monastery of Sant Pere, where it remained. The monks decided to leave the relics at Camprodon, at Sant Pere.Llegenda de Sant Patllari
/ref> Contrary to the legend, the relics can actually be found at the church of Santa Maria de Camprodon, a church of mixed Romanesque, Gothic, and

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

architectural styles. However, the 14th century

reliquary A reliquary (also referred to as a ''shrine'', ''Chasse (casket), chasse'', or ''phylactery'') is a container for relics. A portable reliquary, or the room in which one is stored, may also be called a ''feretory''. Relics may be the purported ...

of Saint Palladius (''Arqueta de Sant Patllari'') may have proceeded from the monastery of Sant Pere before being moved to Santa Maria. In Camprodon, the

feast day The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context does n ...

of Palladius is celebrated with dances (such as the sardana), music, and a procession of “giants” (''Cercavila de gegants''), which are sculptures of giant historical figures.ElRipolles.info : Sant Patllari a l'equador
/ref>

References

External links

St. Palladius

Sant Patllari a l'equador
{{DEFAULTSORT:Palladius Of Embrun Bishops of Embrun 540s deaths Culture of Catalonia Prophets 6th-century Frankish saints Year of birth unknown