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Gatianus of Tours
3rd century founding Bishop of Tours
SaintResearchedDate unknown
Feast: 18 December (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Born
300
Died
20 December 301
verified
Beatified
—
not on record
Canonised
—
not on record
Who they were
Gatianus, probably born in Rome, came to Gaul about 250 and spent half a century evangelising the region of Tours amid endless difficulties raised by the pagans.
He overcame them all, and at his death on 20 December 301 the Church of Tours was firmly established. St Gregory of Tours is the only source for his life.
The miracles
There was never a formal cause: he has been honoured as a saint since before the Church's formal processes began.
Why that counted as sanctity
The founder of the Church of Tours.
Connected on this site
- Gregory of Tours Saint“St Gregory of Tours is the only source for his life.” — this site's research
Sources
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - St. Gatianus
- Wikidata Q1382073 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Gatianus of Tours (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.