St. Eucherius of Lyon

Eucherius belonged to a prominent family in Gaul and was married to Galla. Their sons, Salonius and Veranus, were educated among the religious at Lérins. Butler describes the family’s movement toward a life more fully occupied with the service of God, and Eucherius’s own retirement with his wife’s consent.

At Lérins, and later on the neighbouring island of Lero, he devoted himself to prayer and writing. His works commended the solitary life and warned against making passing honours and possessions the object of a person’s hopes. Butler particularly values the exhortation addressed to his kinsman Valerian. His scriptural works also show that retirement did not mean the abandonment of careful study.

Eventually called from solitude to become bishop of Lyon, Eucherius brought this formation into pastoral life. He took part in the Council of Orange in 441 and was remembered for learning, eloquence and good works. Butler’s account preserves the relation between the writer formed in the religious communities of southern Gaul and the bishop entrusted with one of its ancient churches. He is distinct from Eucherius, the later bishop of Orléans.