Victricius

Who was Victricius?

Saint Victricius was a bishop of Rouen, missionary, and author. His feast day is August 7. Victricius was the son of a Roman legionnaire, and was in the army himself. However, when he became a Christian, he refused to remain in the army. He was flogged and sentenced for execution, but managed to avoid being executed. He proselytized amongst the tribes of Flanders, Hainault, and Brabant.

He became bishop of Rouen around 386 or 393. He was invited to Britain in 396 to assist in the settlement of some dispute among the bishops there. He was accused of heresy but was defended by Pope Innocent I and received from Innocent the important decretal of the Liber Regularum.

In 396 relics of Vitalis and Agricola were sent to Victricius, and about the same date to St. Paulinus of Nola and others.

Victricius wrote The Praise of Saints.