IS commemorated on this day in the Roman Martyrology. He was descended
of a noble family in Berry, and educated in learning and piety. His
large patrimony he gave to the church and poor; and being ordained
priest, served king Clothaire II. in quality of almoner and chaplain in
his armies; and on a time when he lay dangerously ill, restored him to
his health by prayer and fasting. In 624 he succeeded St. Austregesilus,
commonly called St. Outrille, in the see of Bourges. He reformed
discipline, converted all the Jews in his diocese, and employed his
whole time in prayer and laborious functions, chiefly in the instruction
of the poor. He died in 644. Among the letters of St. Desiderius of
Cahors, we have one which he sent to our saint with this title, "To the
holy patriarch, Sulpicius;"[1] and several of our saint to him.[2] The
famous monastery which bears his name at Bourges, is said to have been
founded by him under the invocation of the Blessed Virgin; it now
belongs to the congregation of St. Maur, and is enriched with part of
his relics, and with a portion of the blood of St. Stephen, who is the
titular saint of the stately cathedral. A bone of one of the arms {174}
of our saint, is kept in the famous parochial church in Paris, which is
dedicated to God under his invocation. See his ancient life in Bolland.
and Mab. saec. 2, Ben. Gallia Christ. nova, t. 2, p. 18.
Footnotes:
1. Apud Canis. Lect. Ant. t. 5, & Bibl. Patr. t. 8, l. 1, ep. 12.
2. Ib. l. 2.