Auctor of Metz, St.

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AUCTOR OF METZ, ST.

Bishop; fl. c. 451. Auctor, thirteenth bishop of Metz, was apparently a contemporary of Attila the Hun, who ravaged the region in 451. In the time of Louis the Pious, Bp. Drogo of Metz transferred the relics of Auctor to Maursmünster. Although there are distinct traditions surrounding an Auctor, bishop of Trier, whose feast was formerly kept on August 20, he is an unhistorical personage whose vita (Acta Sanctorum Aug. 4:3753) perhaps derives from that of Auctor of Metz (Acta Sanctorum Aug. 2:536538). There is extant a life of Auctor of Metz written by paul the deacon.

Feast: Aug. 10 (Maursmünster).

Bibliography: Bibliotheca hagiograpica latina antiquae et mediae aetatis (Brussels 18981901) 1:746 (A. of Metz); 747749 (A. of Trier). a. m. burg and a. heintz, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, ed. j. hofer and k. rahner (Freiburg 195765) 1:102425.

[w. a. jurgens]