Saint Gatianus of Tours
Also known as
- Cassien
- Catianus
- Gatian
- Gatien
- Gratian
- Gratianus
- Gratien
- 18 December
- 19 October (discovery of relics)
- 2 May (translation of relics)
Profile
Spiritual student of Saint Dionysius of Paris. Gatianus brought Christianity to Tours, France in the 4th century, founded the diocese and served as the its first bishop. However, his good work faded after his death. When Saint Martin arrived in Tours, he found that there were no Christians, but local lore spoke much about Gatianus, the man who brought the Gospel that the people no longer understood. Martin found Gatianus’ burial site, and always venerated his predecessor.
Pious legend says that Gatianus was one of the shepherds to whom the angels appeared at Jesus’ birth, but that is, after all, only a pious legend.
Born
- Tours, France, archdiocese of
- Tours, France, city of
- bishop scattering seed, emblematic of spreading the faith
- bishop in a cave with his parishioners; apparently that’s where he started conducting Mass
- with Saint Dionysius of Paris
Additional Information
- Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
- Catholic Encyclopedia
- Lives of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler
- New Catholic Dictionary
- Pictorial Lives of the Saints
- Roman Martyrology, 1914 edition
- books
- other sites in english
- webseiten auf deutsch
- sitios en español
- Martirologio Romano, 2001 edición
- sites en français
- fonti in italiano
- websites in nederlandse
- nettsteder i norsk
MLA Citation
- “Saint Gatianus of Tours“. CatholicSaints.Info. 7 February 2019. Web. 26 October 2021. <>