E00333: Gregory of Tours, in the Preface to his Life of *Ursus and Leobatius (abbots in Berry and the Touraine, around AD 500, S00137), compares the apostles and other saints, including those of the present, to stars in the heavens, enlightening the world. From Gregory's Life of the Fathers, written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 573/594.

Gregory of Tours, Life of the Fathers 18 preface

Legiferi vatis oraculum, cum de principio principium fandi sumpsisset et, Dominum extendisse caelos dextera maiestatis, fuisset effatus, ait: Et fecit Deus duo luminaria magna et stellas. Et posuit ea in firmamento caeli, ut praeessent diei ac nocti et lucerent in firmamento caeli. Sic nunc et in illo mentis humanae caelo, sicut priorum sancxit auctoritas, luminaria magna dedit, Christum scilicet et eclesiam eius, quae luceant in tenebris ignorantiae et inluminent sensus humilitatis nostrae, sicut Iohannes euangelista de ipso Domino ait, quia: Hic est lux mundi, qui inluminat omnem hominem venientem in hunc mundum. Posuit etiam in eo et stellas, patriarchas videlicet, prophetas apostolosque, qui vel doctrinis nos erudiant vel mirabilibus suis inluminent, sicut in euangelio ait, quia: Vos estis lux huius mundi, et: Sic luceat lux vestra coram hominibus, ut videant opera vestra bona et glorificent Patrem vestrum, qui est in caelis. Hii enim apostoli merito pro tota accipiuntur eclesia; quae non habens rugam aut maculam, inpolluta subsistit, sicut apostolus ait, quia: Ipse sibi exhibuit eclesiam mundam, non habentem maculam aut rugam aut aliquid huiuscemodi. Ex horum ergo doctrina et usque in nostris fuerunt temporibus, qui in hoc saeculo quasi astrorum iubar, non solum meritorum radiantes luce, verum etiam dogmatum magnitudine corruscantes, orbem totum radio suae praedicationis inlustraverunt, euntes per loca singula praedicando ac monasteria ad divinum cultum locando, docendo homines a curis saecularibus abstenere, et relictis tenebris concupiscentiae, Deum verum sequi, per quem facta sunt omnia, sicut de Urso Leobatioque abbatibus fidelium fratrum relatio signat.

'When the Legislator and Prophet began to speak of the beginning of all things and to show the Lord forming with the majesty of his right hand the extent of the heavens, he added "and God made two great lights and the stars, and he set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth" [Genesis 1: 16-17]. Likewise in the firmament of human understanding He has placed, as the authority of the Holy Fathers affirms, two great lights, that is to say Christ and His Church, so that they may cast light on the darkness of ignorance and illumine our humble intelligence, as John the Evangelist says of the Lord Himself: "That was true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world" [John 1:9]. He also put into it the stars, that is to say the patriarchs, prophets and the apostles, who instruct us by their teaching or enlighten us by their miracles, as He says Himself in the Gospel, "Ye are the light of the world" [Matthew 5:16], and again "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven" [Matthew 5:16]. For these apostles are accepted by their merit on behalf of the whole church, which lives unpolluted, without spot or blemish, as the Apostle says, "That he might present it to himself a pure church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing" [Ephes. 5:27] Then thanks to this doctrine there have been up until our times men who were like the radiance of the stars in this world, not only resplendent by the light of their virtues but also shining by the greatness of their teaching, who have lit the whole universe with the rays of their preaching, going to teach in every place, founding monasteries for the worship of God and instructing men to abstain from earthly cares and, having left the darkness of concupiscence, to follow the true God, the creator of all things. This is shown by the stories told by trustworthy brothers concerning the abbots Ursus and Leobatius.'

Text: Krusch 1969, 283-284. Translation: James 1991, 114, lightly modified.