Acarius

Acarius (died 14 March 642), venerated as Saint Acarius, was a monk of Luxeuil Abbey who became Bishop of Doornik and Noyon, which today are located on either side of the Franco-Belgian border.

Life

Acarius was born to a noble family of Burgundy. He entered the Abbey of Luxeuil and was a pupil of Abbot Eustace. Audomar, future bishop of Thérouanne was a classmate.

While the date of his election is not known, it is assured that he was bishop of Doornik and Noyon in 627. He was an adviser to King Clothar II. Apparently, Acarius had great influence on the spreading of Christianity in Belgic Gaul. It was Acarius that recommended to Dagobert that Audomar be appointed Bishop of Thérouanne.[1] He was a strong supporter of the missionary Amandus, but despite his influence could not prevent King Dagobert I from banishing Amandus for chastising him.[2] Amandus then went to Gascony. Along with Audomar and the King's counselor, Éloi, they were eventually able to persuade Dagobert to allow Amandus to return, and Acarius sent him to preach in the area of Tournai.

As bishop, Acarius was especially attentive to the poor and afflicted, whose needs he enjoyed relieving and calming their suffering. He built a number of monasteries.

Veneration

Soon after his death in November 640, he was venerated as a Saint. He was succeeded as bishop by Eligius.[3]

His memorial is 27 Nov.[4] Acarius is invoked against a "cantankerous" mood.[5] The Église Saints-Hugues-et-Achaire de Haspres

  • Buste of Acarius in Haspres
    Buste of Acarius in Haspres
  • Stained glass window of Acarius in Haspres is dedicated to him.
    Stained glass window of Acarius in Haspres is dedicated to him.

Sources

References
  1. Butler, Alban. "Saint Omer, Bishop and Confessor". Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Principal Saints, 1866. CatholicSaints.Info. 3 May 2017
  2. Fell, Charles; Challoner, Richard (1750). The Lives of Saints: Collected from Authentick Records of Church History. T. Osborne. p. 143.
  3. Van der Essen, Léon. "St. Eligius." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 5. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. 30 March 2019 Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. "Saint Acharius of Tournai". 8 March 2009.
  5. "November 27", Abbaye Notre-Dame de Tomié
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