Saint Eusebius of Vercelli
Bishop, Martyr
(283 – 371)

Saint’s Life Story

His Early Life

Eusebius was born to a noble family in 283 on the island of Sardinia, located in the Mediterranean Sea, west of modern-day Italy. He came from a pious family, but tragedy struck early in his life when his father was martyred while Eusebius was still a small child. Following his father’s death, he was raised by his mother, Saint Restituta, who herself would later become a martyr in her old age. Eusebius had a sister named Eusebia, who became a nun and eventually served as mother superior of a monastery in Vercelli, Italy, which Eusebius founded.

Moved to Rome

Saint Restituta raised Eusebius and Eusebia, taking both as infants, to Rome. Eusebius was brought up in the practice of piety, and in the study of sacred learning, and ordained lector by Pope Saint Sylvester. Then, Eusebius pursued his studies in Rome, where one of his fellow seminarians was the future Pope Saint Liberius. He came to belong to the clergy of the city at a time when the Church was seriously troubled by the Arian heresy, which taught that Christ was not truly God. Eusebius earned the admiration of the Christian community of Rome, which for about three years became the refuge of the exiled Saint Athanasius of Alexandria.

First Bishop of Vercelli

Eusebius was ordained a priest and served the Church of Vercelli with such zeal that when the episcopal chair became vacant he was unanimously chosen, by both clergy and people, to fill it. He became the first recorded bishop of Vercelli in Piedmont in northwest Italy. was consecrated as bishop by Pope Saint Julius I consecrated Eusebius as Bishop in 345. He was also the first bishop to live in common with the clergy, devoting his best energies to form them in piety and zeal. He was the first in the West to combine the monastic discipline to live together with the clerical, an example that was later followed by Saint Augustine of Hippo.

Exiled

In 354, Pope Saint Liberius asked Eusebius to join Bishop Lucifer of Cagliari to plead with Emperor Constantius to assemble a council to settle the differences between the Catholics and Arians as well as the status of the exiled Saint Athanasius of Alexandria. They were successful. The synod met in Milan, Italy in 355.

Eusebius attended this synod. His sufferings began with his refusal to condemn the great theologian and doctor of the Church, Saint Athanasius. When the bishops were called upon to sign a condemnation of Saint Athanasius, one of the few bishops who continued to insist that Jesus was both God and man, Eusebius resisted. Instead he presented the Nicene Creed, which he helped to write, and insisted that it be signed by all before the case of Saint Athanasius was considered.

As a result, Eusebius was exiled for six years, first to Scythopolis in Syria, under the watchful eye of the Arian bishop Patrophilus, whom Eusebius calls his jailer, then to Cappadocia, and lastly to the Thebaid, in Upper Egypt. In the his first exile residence, Eusebius was dragged through the streets half-clothed and locked him in a small room, where they badgered him for four days to conform. Eusebius went on a hunger strike, and after fasting for four days, the Arians returned him to his lodgings. Although he was persecuted in many ways, Eusebius never gave up the Catholic faith.

Exile aimed to separate the shepherd from his flock, thus severing Eusebius’ ability to minister to them. However, the plan backfired. Like Bishop Saint Athanasius, Bishop Eusebius became a prolific letter writer during his exile, continuing to guide his flock and encourage other bishops throughout the empire. A few of his letters, theological treatises, and homilies have survived either in whole or in part to this day.

Returned

In 361, when Emperor Constantius II died and was succeeding by Emperor Julian, Eusebius and all of the exiled bishops were allowed to return to their dioceses. Reunited with his flock, Bishop Eusebius ministered to his people for ten more years. During that time, he continued to defend the Nicene Creed and to oppose Arianism.

In 362, Eusebius participated in the Second Council of Alexandria, which reaffirmed the teachings of the Council of Nicaea in 325 and addressed the theological concerns of Arianism. It also declared that repentant Arians who professed the Nicene Creed could be readmitted into full communion with the Church.

Eusebius travelled over the East and through Illyricum, bolstering the wavering faith of many and bringing others back into the fold. In 363, Eusebius returned to Italy and began working in concert with Saint Hilary of Poitiers to oppose the Arianizing Auxentius of Milan.

According to Saint Jerome, Vercelli “laid aside her garments of mourning” upon Eusebius’s long-awaited return, but nothing is known of his remaining years.

His Death

The circumstances of Eusebius’s death are somewhat uncertain. While some accounts suggest that he may have been martyred by the Arians, other reports indicate that his death resulted from the sufferings he endured during his exile. Due to these conflicting accounts, many consider him a martyr. Eusebius passed away on August 1, 371 in Vercelli, Italy.

Born:                   283 in Sardinia, Italy

Died:                   August 1, 371 in Vercelli, Italy

Beatified:           Pre-Congregation

Canonized:        Pre-Congregation

Feast Day:          August 2, December 16 (prior to 1969)

Patron Saint:    Congregation of the Daughters of Saint Eusebius; Piedmont, Italy; Vercelli, Italy

Source:

• • Aug 2 – St Eusebius of Vercelli (283-371) bishop – Catholicireland.net
  • Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, Bishop – My Catholic Life!
  • CatholicSaints.Info » Saints of the Day – Eusebius of Vercelli by Katherine I Rabenstein
  • Saint Eusebius of Vercelli – Saint for a Minute: Saints & Blesseds
  • Eusebius of Vercelli – Wikipedia

Prayers

Video Link

St. Eusebius of Vercelli: Strength Against Heresy – YouTube (Awaken The Saint)