(4TH CENT.)
[Gallican and Roman Martyrologies. Authority:--Various editions of
the life of S. Regulus, the most ancient probably of the 9th cent.
The cathedral of Senlis was burnt in that century, and together with
it perished all its archives. Those lives extant were written from
tradition after this fire. S. Regulus is called in France S. _Rieul_.]
S. Regulus was a native of Argos. Hearing of the miracles wrought
at Ephesus by the Beloved Disciple, S. John the Divine, he went
thither, and was converted by him. The Blessed Apostle, admiring
his virtue, ordained him, and kept him by him as a dear friend. But
persecution soon parted the pupil from his master, for S. John was
exiled to Patmos. After a while, Regulus, hearing that S. Dionysius,
the Areopagite, was leaving Rome to bear the gospel into lands that
knew not Christ, followed him, and S. Denys took with him Rusticus for
his deacon, Eleutherius as subdeacon, Regulus, Lucian, Eugenius, and
others. Regulus was appointed bishop of Arles, where he found a colony
of Christians which had been formed by S. Trophimus. According to the
legend, one day, as Regulus was saying Mass, after he had recited in
the canon the names of SS. Peter and Paul, he added, without thinking
of what he was saying, "also the blessed martyrs, Denys, Rusticus, and
Eleutherius," and thereupon saw three doves descend on the altar, with
these three names in bloody characters inscribed on their breasts.
Knowing that these three blessed apostles must be dead, he went to
Paris to gather up their sacred relics, having first confided the care
of his church to a bishop named Felicissimus. On arriving, he went to
the village of Châton, where he met a lady, named Catulla, who had
secretly buried the bodies of the martyrs. Regulus celebrated the holy
Sacrifice over their grave, and Catulla built a chapel of wood on the
spot. This was the chapel which S. Genoveva afterwards rebuilt in stone
(vol. i. p. 50). Regulus then left Paris, and took the road to Senlis.
Passing through Louvres, six leagues from Paris, he overthrew an idol
of Mercury, which he found there, preached to the people, and built a
chapel, which was afterwards dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. Regulus
then undertook the conversion of the people of Senlis, which he happily
effected. Then he betook himself to Beauvais, and the story goes that
as the frogs in the marshes disturbed him whilst preaching he forbade
them all croaking with the exception of one. He is said to have died
in 130, during the reign of Hadrian, after having laboured forty years
in different missions. So far the legendary life, which is destitute of
respect as history. In all probability two saints have been run into
one, a S. Regulus of Arles, the successor of S. Trophimus, and a S.
Regulus of Senlis, who lived in the end of the third century, and died
in the early part of the fourth, for he is spoken of as a companion of
saints who certainly lived at that period.
In art S. Regulus or Rieul is represented with frogs at his side, or
releasing captives from their chains.