Back Baldiri de Nimes Catalan Baudilius von Nîmes German Baudilio Spanish Baudile de Nîmes French Baudilio di Nîmes Italian Baudeli Swahili
 | This article may be in need of reorganization to comply with Wikipedia's layout guidelines. (March 2016) |
Saint Baudilus | |
|---|---|
 Stained glass window in the Nîmes Cathedral | |
| Martyr | |
| Died | 3rd or 4th century Nîmes |
| Venerated in | Eastern Orthodox Church Roman Catholic Church |
| Major shrine | crypte de St Baudile, Nîmes; Zamora, Spain |
| Feast | May 20 |
| Attributes | dalmatic |
| Patronage | Pozaldez; Poitiers |
Saint Baudilus (French: Baudile, Bausile, Basile, Spanish: Baudilio, Baudelio, Boal, Catalan: Boi, Baldiri) is venerated as a martyr by the Catholic Church. His cult is closely associated with the city of Nîmes but also spread into Spain.[1]
The first missionary in Nîmes is said to have been Saint Saturnin (Saturninus), who was sent by Pope Fabian to Gaul around 245 AD.[1] Saturnin converted a native of Nîmes, Saint Honestus, who was later martyred at Pamplona.[1] However, the Catholic Encyclopedia writes that "the true apostle of Nîmes was St. Baudilus, whose martyrdom is placed by some at the end of the third century, and, with less reason, by others at the end of the fourth."[2] Tradition also makes him a martyr during the reign of Julian the Apostate.
The legend of Saint Baudilus states that he was not a native of Nîmes, but was a Christian, possibly a deacon, who came into the city one day during a festival celebrated by the Salii or Agonales in honor of Veiovis. The festival was being celebrated in hills near the city, formerly covered with oaks, but now occupied by vineyards. A crowd was grouped on the hillsides, watching the ceremony, which, according to Abbé Azaïs, writing in 1872, involved animal sacrifice.[1]
Baudilus condemned this ceremony and toppled a statue of the God. Furious at this insult, the Pagan priests whipped and then executed Baudilus by decapitating him with an ax. According to the legend, his severed head bounced three times on the ground, each impact bringing forth a spring of water.[1] Upon these springs of water was later built an oratory: l'oratoire des Trois-Fontaines ("Three Fountains").[1]
Baudilus’ body was collected by his wife and then was transported to a place called "Valsainte", where he was buried by a pre-existing colony of Christians.[1] Valsainte became a place of pilgrimage. A church was built there in the fourth century and a monastery in 511 AD, which survived until the 17th century.[1] The crypt of Saint Baudilus (la crypte de St Baudile) at the corner of rue des Moulins and rue des Trois Fontaines, marks the alleged spot where Baudilus was martyred.[1]
Jules Igolin writes that Nîmes became the site of a bishopric by the fourth century and that its first bishop was Saint Felix of Nîmes (St Félix), who was martyred around 407 AD.[1]