Honoratus
was born into a patrician Roman family that had settled in Gaul,
present-day France. As a young man, he renounced paganism and won his
elder brother Venantius over to Christ.
Although their father
objected and placed obstacles before them, the two brothers decided to
leave the world. Under the tutelage of the hermit St. Caprasius they
sailed from Marseilles with the intention of leading a secluded life in a
Grecian desert.
In Greece, illness struck and Venantius died in
peace. Also ill, Honoratus was obliged to return to Gaul with his
instructor. At first, he lived as a hermit in the mountains near
Fréjus. Later, he settled on the island of Lérins off the southern
coast of France. Followed by others, he founded a monastery on the
island about the year 400. The monastic community is active to this day.
St. Patrick, the great apostle of Ireland is said to have studied at
Lérins.
In 426 Honoratus was pressed upon to accept the bishopric
of Arles, where he reestablished Catholic orthodoxy, challenged by the
Arian heresy. He died three years later exhausted from his apostolic
labors.
The
island of Lérins, today the island of Saint Honorat just south of
Cannes, is home to Cistercian monks who live in a majestic monastery and
produce fine wines and liqueurs which are well-known throughout the
world.
Saturday, January 16, 2021
St. Honoratus of Arles
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