Ferreolus of Uzès, St.
FERREOLUS OF UZÈS, ST.
Bishop; b. the first half of the sixth century; d. Jan. 4, 581. gregory of tours referred to him as the bishop of Uzès, a man of great sanctity, full of wisdom and intelligence, who wrote several books of letters after the example of sidonius. These letters have not survived. Extant under his name, however, is a monastic rule, which, according to its preface, Ferreolus wrote for a monastery founded by him at Uzès; it shows dependence upon the benedictine rule. Fragments of a vita of uncertain date and historical worth ascribe to him remarkable zeal in clerical reform. His activity in converting the Jews of his diocese gave rise to charges of political conspiracy and to a three-year exile, followed by exoneration and restoration to his see.
Feast: Jan. 4.
Bibliography: Rule, Patrologia Latina, ed. j. p. migne (Paris 1878–90) 66:959–976. gregory of tours, Historia Francorum, 6:7, Monumenta Germaniae Scriptores rerum Merovingicarum (Berlin 1825–) 1.1:276–277; Eng. tr. o. m. dalton, 2 v. (Oxford 1927). Bibliotheca hagiographica latina antiquae et mediae aetatis (Brussels 1898–1901) 1:2901–02. l. duchesne, Fastes épiscopaux de l'ancienne Gaule (Paris 1907–15) 1:304. j. chapman, St. Benedict and the Sixth Century (New York 1929). j. l. baudot and l. chaussin, Vies des saints et des bienheueux selon l'ordre du calendrier avec l'historique des fêtes (Paris 1935–56) 1:79.
[g. m. cook]