GALL OF CLERMONT, ST.

Bishop; b. c. 486; d. 551. From the writings of his nephew, gregory of tours (confirmed by an epitaph composed by Fortunatus and by the signatures of the councils), a meager biography of St. Gall can be gleaned. He came of a wealthy Gallo–Roman family, and became a monk at Cournon, where he distinguished himself by his fasts, love of reading, and fine singing voice. Because of his musical talent he was brought first to Clermont by Bishop quinctian, and then to the royal court at Trèves

by King Theodoric I. In 526–527 he succeeded Quinctian to the See of Clermont. He took part in person or by proxy at four synods held in Orléans (533–549), and at one, which he himself assembled, in Clermont (535). His humility, his charity, and his miracles won the veneration of his people.

Feast: July 1.

Bibliography: gregory of tours, Historia Francorum, 4:5, 6, 13; Monumenta Germaniae Historica: Scriptores rerum Merovingicarum 1.1:138–139, 144; Eng. tr. o. m. dalton, 2 v. (Oxford 1927). Vitae patrum, 6. Monumenta Germaniae Historica: Scriptores rerum Merovingicarum 1.2. j. mabillon, Acta sanctorum ordinis S. Benedicti 1:109–113. Epitaph by fortunatus, Monumenta Germaniae Historica: Auctores antiquissimi 4.1:81. Monumenta Germaniae Historica: Concilia 1:65, 70, 84, 97, 109. l. duchesne, Fastes épiscopaux de l'ancienne Gaule 2:36. h. leclercq, Dictionnaire d'archéologie chrétienne et de liturgie 3.2:1917–18. j. l. baudot and l. chaussin, Vies des saints et des bienheureux selon l'ordre du calendrier avec l'historique des fětes, by the Benedictines of Paris 7:19–22. butler The Lives of the Saints 3:3–4. j. des graviers, Catholicisme 4:1718–19.

[g. m. cook]