Placidus or Placitus
Acta Sanctorum, May 7
Source text: Public Domain. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://actasanctorum.org/may/day-07/placidus-or-placitus.html
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ON S. PLACIDUS OR PLACITUS

PRESBYTER AT AUTUN IN GAUL.

[Commentary]

Innocentius, African Bishop, at Gaeta in Italy (S.)

G. H.

Autun, an ancient and famous city of the Aedui,
on the river Arroux, in the present
Duchy of Burgundy, adorned with an ancient Episcopal See
under the Archbishopric of Lyon,
has very many Bishops ascribed to the Saints; among
whom whether S. Placidus is to be reckoned, [S. Placidus] of whom we here treat,
is with reason doubted. Such he is acknowledged in the MSS. of Arras
of the Cathedral church, [by some he is held a Bishop,] and of Tournai of S. Martin, and under
the name of Placitus in Notker, and in the MSS. of Trier
of S. Maximinus, and of Liège, a double one, of S. Lambert and of S.
Laurence; likewise in the Florarium of the Saints, and in the auctary
of Usuard by Greven and Molanus in the first edition with
Canisius and Ferrarius, in which these words are had: At Autun
of B. Placidus or Placitus the Bishop. Adds
Galesinius, "and Confessor": and Saussay, "of divine
grace an excellent dispenser." But to all these it is an obstacle,
that no Placidus or Placitus Bishop
of the Aedui, or of Autun do they acknowledge, Antonius
Monchiacenus, Demochares, John Chenu, Claudius
Robertus and the Sammarthani: so that it seems that the more ancient
MSS. are to be believed, who call him a Presbyter, as
are the four apographs of the Hieronymian Martyrology, even
the Epternach one written almost a thousand years ago,
in which these things are had: At Autun the deposition of Placitus
the Presbyter. The MS. of Corbie printed at Paris, the Lucca one
edited by Florentinius, and the Blume MS., and Rabanus
in his Martyrology report these things: At Autun the deposition
of Blessed Placidus the Presbyter. On the day before this day, that is
the VI of May, in the ancient MS. of the Queen of Sweden much
praised by Holstenius, and in the MS. Martyrology of the monastery of Luxeuil,
the same is more clearly confirmed in these words: [and Abbot of S. Symphorian.] At Autun
the deposition of B. Placidus the Presbyter, and Abbot
of the basilica of S. Symphorian the Martyr. S. Symphorian is venerated,
the Martyr of Autun, on August XXII: but of the basilica
existing under his name Fortunatus makes mention
in the Life of S. Germanus Bishop of Paris to be illustrated at the day XXVIII
of May: and at n. 3 he asserts this one to have been by Nectarius the Bishop
appointed Abbot at S. Symphorian.
But whether before or after S. Germanus S. Placidus obtained this dignity,
is uncertain.
