Saint Braulio
Saint Braulio of Zaragoza (born c. 585 AD in Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain; died March 26, 651 AD in Zaragoza, Spain) was Archbishop of Zaragoza from c. 631 to 651, one of the most important Spanish ecclesiastics of the Visigothic period, a major figure of the Fourth Council of Toledo (633 AD), and a close friend and literary collaborator of Saint Isidore of Seville. He completed the publication of Isidore's Etymologiae after Isidore's death and his own letters and writings are significant sources for seventh-century Visigothic Spain. His feast day is March 26.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Braulio
| Saint Braulio | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | March 26 |
| Profession | Archbishop; theologian; scholar |
| Rel. Affiliation | Visigothic Church; Diocese of Zaragoza |
| Patronage | Zaragoza (in part); scholars; archivists |
| Attributes | Archbishop's vestments; book or scroll (his writings and correspondence) |
| Birthplace | Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain |
| Death Place | Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes |
| Primary Shrine | Zaragoza, Spain |
| Liturgical Class | Not included (universal calendar); observed in Diocese of Zaragoza |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Early life and education
Braulio was born around 585 in Zaragoza into a learned clerical family. His father and several brothers were churchmen. He was educated at the famous episcopal school of Seville under Saint Isidore of Seville—the greatest scholar of the Visigothic period and an encyclopedist whose works transmitted classical and patristic learning to the medieval world. Braulio and Isidore developed a close friendship and regular correspondence.
Archbishop of Zaragoza
Braulio returned to Zaragoza and succeeded his brother John as archbishop around 631 AD. He served as one of the most prominent bishops of Visigothic Spain, playing a significant role in the Fourth Council of Toledo (633 AD)—one of the most important church councils of the Visigothic period, presided over by Isidore, which legislated extensively on church discipline, liturgy, and the rights of Jews in Spain.
Scholarly work and letters
After Isidore's death in 636 AD, Braulio completed the division of the Etymologiae (the great encyclopedia that Isidore had been working on) into twenty books and arranged for its publication—making him essential to the transmission of one of the most influential texts of the Middle Ages.
His own writings include a Life of Saint Emilianus (San Millán de la Cogolla)—one of the most important hagiographies of early medieval Spain—and a collection of letters that provide major historical evidence for Visigothic Spain. His correspondence with Pope Honorius I shows him as a bishop deeply engaged with Roman authority.
Braulio died on March 26, 651 AD. His feast day is observed on March 26, the day of his death.
Significant events
- Born c. 585 in Zaragoza; educated at Seville under Saint Isidore.
- Succeeded his brother as Archbishop of Zaragoza c. 631 AD.
- Prominent figure at the Fourth Council of Toledo (633 AD).
- Completed publication of Isidore's Etymologiae after Isidore's death (636 AD).
- Wrote Life of Saint Emilianus and an important collection of letters.
- Died March 26, 651 AD in Zaragoza.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain
Death location: Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain
Notable location: His archiepiscopal see; center of his ministry and scholarly work (Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain)
Notable location: The city of Saint Isidore, his friend and collaborator; where he was educated (Seville, Andalusia, Spain)
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Feast day
March 26
Veneration
Saint Braulio is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church with a feast day on March 26, particularly in Zaragoza and the Archdiocese of Zaragoza.
Prayers
Authored
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Intercessory
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Books
Written by the saint
- Vida de San Millán de la Cogolla (Life of Saint Emilianus) — the most important early hagiography of Rioja and one of the primary sources for pre-Visigothic Spanish monasticism.
- Epistolarium (collected letters) — important historical source for seventh-century Spain.