Eucherius of Lyons

• Bishop of Lyons, probably born late in the 4th century.
• He was born of a noble and apparently Christian family. He completed a brilliant career and was perhaps a senator.
• Apart from perhaps St. Irenaeus, he was the most distinguished occupant of that see.
• He married Galla, and they had two sons, Salonius and Veranus.
• By mutual agreement, the couple disposed of their goods and withdrew to the island of Lerins. They entrusted their sons to the monastery of St. Honoratus where Hilary, Salvian, and Vincent took charge of their education. Salonius was, at this time, only ten years old.
• In ca. 434 the Church of Lyons unanimously, unsought, elected him bishop.
• He was succeeded by his son Veranus, while Geneva became the see of his other son Salonius.
• He wished to go to Egypt to visit the monasteries, but since he was not able to do this, John Cassian dedicated the second part of his Conferences to him in order to compensate for this desire which could not be realized.
• He was an esteemed preacher and correspondent with such prominent figures as Paulinus of Nola and Sidonius Apollinaris.
• He took part in the Council of Orange in 441.31

1. Epistola, seu Libellis, de laude Eremi:

• This short treatise, addressed to Hilary of Arles, is assigned, with probability to 428.
• The Collationes of Cassian, composed at the request of Eucherius, had given so vivid picture of the hermits of the Thebaid as to call forth this epistle. 2. Epistola Paraenetica and Valerianum cognatum. “De contemptu mundi et saecularis philosophiae”:its date is probably ca. 432.
• Eucherius evidently desires his highly placed and wealthy kinsman to follow him in retirement from the world . 3. Liber formularum spiritalis intelligentiae [al. de. forma spiritalis intellectus]ad Veranium filium:
• This is a defense of the lawfulness of the allegorical sense of Scripture, pleading the testimony of Scripture itself. 4. Instructionum Libri Duo ad Salonium filium:
• Of this treatise, the former book discusses difficulties in the Old and New Testaments, such as the scriptural evidence of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. 5. Passio Acaunensium martyrum, S. Maricii et sociorum eius:
• The oldest account of the martyrs of the Theban Legion.