November 29 + Saint Saturninus

According to the French historian and priest Louis-Sebastien Le Nain de Tillemont, Saturninus was one of the most illustrious martyrs France has given to the Church. We possess only his Acts, which are very old, since they were utilized by Saint Gregory of Tours.

Born in Greece, Saturninus went to preach the faith in Gaul, by direction of Pope Fabian in about the year 245. He fixed his episcopal see in Toulouse, France where he became its first bishop. There were but few Christians in the area, however, their numbers grew fast after the arrival of Saturninus and his power was felt by the spirits of evil.

To reach his parish, he had to pass in front of the capitol where there was a pagan temple. The pagan priests there attributed the silence of their oracles to his frequent passings. One day they seized him, and when he refused to sacrifice to their idols, they tied his feet to a bull which dragged him around the town until the rope broke and he was dead. Two devout Christian women gathered his remains (which were scattered around the town) and buried them in a deep ditch so that they wouldn't be profaned by the pagans.

His successors, Saints Hilary and Exuperius, gave him a more honorable burial. A church was erected where the bull stopped, after dragging the dead bishop around the town. It still exists, and is called the Church of the Taur (the bull). The remains of the saint were transferred to (and are still preserved in) the Church of St. Sernin (or Saturninus), one of the most ancient and beautiful churches in Southern France.