Sacerdos of Lyon

Saint Sacerdos was bishop of Lyon in the time of the Merovingian kings, in the first half of the sixth century. A son of Bishop Rusticus of Lyon, he had served at the royal court before his episcopate. He reposed at Paris in 551 or 552, and the Church commemorates him on 11 September, in some calendars on the 12th.

Life

Little is known of him, for his biography has survived only in part. He was the son of Saint Rusticus, bishop of Lyon, and his wife. At first he served at the royal court and was married; his son, Saint Aurelian, later became bishop of Arles. After 538, or 544 according to some sources, he took over the diocese of Lyon on the death of Bishop Leontius, and was the twenty-⁠seventh bishop of the city.

In Lyon he built two churches: one in honour of Saint Paul and another in honour of Saint Eulalia, later mentioned in chronicles as the church of Saint George. In 549 he presided at the Fifth Council of Orléans. He was an adviser to King Childebert of the Merovingian dynasty.

His repose

He died at Paris, during a church council, with King Childebert at his bedside. Before departing to the Lord he asked the king to make his nephew, Saint Nicetius, called Nizier in French, bishop of Lyon after him. His body was carried to Lyon and buried in the church of the Apostles, later called the church of Saint Nicholas and now that of Saint Nizier.