Saint Faustus of Riez
Saint Faustus of Riez (born c. 405 AD in Brittany or Britain; died c. 490 AD in Riez, Provence, France) was a leading theologian of 5th-century Gaul and Bishop of Riez, closely associated with the monastery of Lérins. He was one of the principal figures of Semi-Pelagianism — the theological position mediating between Augustine's strong predestinarianism and full Pelagianism — though his theology was later condemned at the Second Council of Orange (529 AD). He is venerated as a saint in southern France. His feast day is September 28.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Faustus of Riez
| Saint Faustus of Riez | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | September 28 |
| Profession | Monk; abbot of Lérins; Bishop of Riez; theologian |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Lérins monastic tradition; Diocese of Riez |
| Patronage | Riez; Provence; Lérins; theologians |
| Attributes | Bishop's vestments; book; monastic habit (Lérins) |
| Birthplace | Brittany or Britain (disputed) |
| Death Place | Riez, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes; died at an advanced age at Riez |
| Primary Shrine | Cathedral of Riez, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence — his episcopal see; venerated here |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman Calendar; feast September 28; observed locally in Diocese of Digne |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Faustus was born around 405 AD, probably in Brittany — or in Britain, as some sources suggest (making him one of the few British figures in early Gallo-Roman theology). He entered the monastery of Lérins, then under its founder Saint Honoratus of Arles, and rose through its ranks to become abbot around 433 AD. Under his governance, Lérins continued as the premier monastic school of Gaul, producing bishops for the whole Frankish church.
Around 462 he was elected Bishop of Riez in Provence. He was twice driven into exile for political reasons — first by the Visigoth king Euric (c. 477–485) who opposed his Romanist positions, then again briefly — but returned to his see and died in Riez around 490.
Theologically, Faustus was a significant figure in the Semi-Pelagian controversy. He opposed both Augustine's strong predestinarianism (the idea that grace operates without any free cooperation) and the full Pelagianism (that human effort alone achieves salvation). His work De gratia (On Grace) argued that the human will retains some capacity for initiative in the process of salvation even before grace arrives. This position was condemned posthumously at the Second Council of Orange (529 AD), which affirmed a more Augustinian position. Despite this, Faustus continued to be venerated locally as a holy bishop.
His sermons and letters survive and are published in the Patrologia Latina. His feast is September 28.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Brittany or Britain (disputed)
Death location: Riez, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France
Notable location: The island monastery where he was formed as a monk under Saint Honoratus of Arles; he rose to become abbot of Lérins (c. 433–462); Lérins was the great center of Gallo-Roman monasticism and produced many bishops and saints (Lérins Abbey, Île Saint-Honorat, near Cannes, France)
Notable location: His episcopal see; he was Bishop of Riez from c. 462 until his death; he was exiled twice for political reasons and returned each time; his cathedral was here (Riez, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France)
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Cathedral of Riez, Riez, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence — his episcopal see.
- Lérins Abbey, Île Saint-Honorat — the monastery he governed as abbot; still an active Cistercian abbey.
Feast day
September 28
Veneration
Saint Faustus of Riez is venerated locally in southern France with a feast day on September 28.
Prayers
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