Chrétien of Auxerre

Chrétien of Auxerre (Chrestien, Christianus) was bishop of Auxerre and is regarded as blessed, who died in 871 or 873. He is venerated in the Western Church.

He was the son of Arcambert and Emelinde; the Gallia Christiana notes that the older historians held him to be of German nation. He occupied the see of Auxerre after Abbo, who died on 3 December 859. His first mention as bishop is at the peace treaty of Koblenz of 7 June 860, between Louis the German, Charles the Bald and Lothair I. He took part in the councils and synods of Tusey (22 October 860), of Pîtres (862, 864, 868) and of Soissons (866), and was represented by his archdeacon at that of Douzy (September 871). In 862, taking advantage of the presence at Auxerre of Bishop Frotarius of Bordeaux, he carried out the translation of the body of Saint Amator into the crypt of the church of Saint-⁠Amâtre. In 865 he consecrated, with Bishop Erchenrad of Châlons, the choir of the abbey of Saint-⁠Germain and the oratory of Saint John the Baptist in the western part of the church.

The Deeds of the bishops of Auxerre fix his death on 22 November; Duchesne places it in 871, other works in 873.