Eusebius of Vercelli

Who they were

Eusebius was born in Sardinia around 283 and went young to Rome to study, where he was baptised and became friends with the future Pope Liberius; together they met St Athanasius, exiled by the Arians, and through him learned of St Anthony's monastic life. In 342 Pope Julius sent him to the Western emperor Constans about founding a diocese at Vercelli, and the people there chose him as their first bishop; he was consecrated on 15 December 345.

He lived in community with his clergy, joining priestly work to monastic prayer and penance; St Ambrose wrote that he was the first in the West to unite the life of the clergy with the life of monks. For defending the faith of Nicaea he was exiled under the emperor Constantius, writing from exile to urge his people to keep the faith and stay united. Julian allowed the bishops to return, and Eusebius came home in 363, eight years after his exile. He died on 1 August 371.

The miracles

There was never a formal cause: Eusebius has been honoured as a saint since his death.

Why that counted as sanctity

Eusebius built up a Church in the countryside and mountains, formed a community of priests living as monks, and suffered years of exile rather than give up the faith in Christ's divinity.

Connected on this site

• Gaudentius of Novara Saint
  “Tradition states that he was born to a pagan family at Ivrea, and was then converted to Christianity by Eusebius of Vercelli.” — Wikipedia
• Marcellinus of Gaul Saint
  “At Embrun in southern France, Saint Marcellinus, first bishop of this city, who, having come from Africa, converted many inhabitants of the region of the Maritime Alps to the faith of Christ and was ordained bishop of this see by Saint Eusebius of Vercelli.” — this site's research
• Theonestus of Vercelli Saint
  “Theonestus may have been a member of the early Christian community in Vercelli, living in an era earlier than that of Eusebius of Vercelli.” — Wikipedia