Saint Brice
Saint Brice of Tours (born c. 370 AD, possibly in Gaul; died November 13, 444 AD in Tours, Gaul, present-day France) was Bishop of Tours from 397 to 444 and the successor of Saint Martin of Tours. His early episcopate was troubled by misconduct and he was twice driven from his see; after years in exile, he returned, reformed his life, and governed Tours so faithfully for the last thirteen years of his episcopate that he is venerated as a saint. His feast day is November 13.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Brice
| Saint Brice | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | November 13 |
| Profession | Bishop |
| Rel. Affiliation | Diocese of Tours |
| Patronage | Tours (in part); Tuscany (via his connection with the Medicis, who venerated him); children |
| Attributes | Bishop's vestments; burning coals in his cloak; child (allusion to the slander against him) |
| Birthplace | Gaul (exact location unknown) |
| Death Place | Tours, Indre-et-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire, France |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes |
| Primary Shrine | Basilica of Saint Martin, Tours, Indre-et-Loire, France |
| Liturgical Class | Not included (universal Roman calendar); observed in the Diocese of Tours |
| Historic Class | November 13 |
Biography
The troublesome disciple of Martin
Brice had been raised and educated by Saint Martin of Tours himself and appointed by Martin as a reader in the church. He was, by the accounts of contemporaries (including Sulpicius Severus, the biographer of Martin), arrogant, contemptuous, and given to worldly pleasures in his youth—yet Martin bore with him patiently, reportedly saying that God's patience with him would produce eventual holiness.
When Martin died in 397 AD, Brice was elected Bishop of Tours—a choice that dismayed many who knew his character. The early years of his episcopate confirmed their fears; he was accused of various forms of misconduct, most famously of fathering a child (an accusation he denied by the ordeal of the burning coals), and was twice driven from his see by the combined force of popular outrage and synodal judgment.
Exile and reform
Brice spent years in exile in Rome, undergoing a profound spiritual transformation. He returned to Tours around 437 AD—having been away for approximately seven years—and governed the diocese for the remaining years of his life with great holiness, humility, and pastoral zeal. The same man who had been so troublesome under Martin became, in his old age, a model bishop.
He died on November 13, 444 AD, and was buried in Tours. The later tradition, observing the arc of his life—sinful youth, difficult middle years, final holiness—saw in him a powerful testimony to the possibility of genuine conversion and spiritual growth even for those who had greatly failed.
Brice's Day and the St. Brice's Day Massacre
November 13 is Saint Brice's Day, noted in medieval calendars. On Saint Brice's Day in 1002, King Æthelred II of England ordered the massacre of all Danes in England—the "St. Brice's Day Massacre"—including apparently Gunhilde, sister of Sweyn Forkbeard of Denmark, an event that contributed to the Danish conquest of England.
Significant events
- Raised and educated by Saint Martin of Tours; appointed a reader by Martin.
- Elected Bishop of Tours on Martin's death, 397 AD.
- Early episcopate troubled; accused of misconduct; driven from see twice; ordeal of the burning coals.
- Years of exile in Rome; reformed his life.
- Returned to Tours c. 437 AD; governed faithfully for final years.
- Died November 13, 444 AD in Tours.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Gaul (exact location unknown)
Death location: Tours, Indre-et-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire, France
Notable location: His episcopal see; the city of Saint Martin; his tomb in the Basilica of Saint Martin (Tours, Indre-et-Loire, France)
Notable location: Where he spent his years of exile before returning to Tours (Rome, Italy)
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Basilica of Saint Martin, Tours, Indre-et-Loire, France — the great basilica built over Saint Martin's tomb; Brice was buried near Martin.
Feast day
November 13
Veneration
Saint Brice is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church with a feast day on November 13, particularly in Tours and the Diocese of Tours.
Prayers
Authored
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Intercessory
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