E06326: The short recension of the Life of *Justus (bishop of Lyon, ob. c. 390, S02411) is written in Latin in Gaul, probably in the 5th c. It narrates Justus' departure from his see of Lyon to live incognito as an ascetic in Egypt, his life in Egypt, his recognition by a pilgrim from Lyon, and the translation of his remains to Lyon after his death.

Life of Saint Justus, Bishop of Lyon (Vita sancti Iusti episcopi Lugdunensis, BHL 4599, CPL 2120)

1. Justus itaque Viennensis primum diaconus, postea vero Lugdunensis ecclesiae antistes sacratus est: quam tanta puritate, modestia, pietate, patientia per multos rexit annos, tanta circa pauperes cura, tanta divinorum mandatorum observantia, ut etiam magnificos atque praestantes illos Domini sacerdotes omni praeiret gratia virtutum. Igitur cum ita ingenti gloriae suae ac plebis profectu Domini ecclesiae praesideret, usque ad expulsionem ejus frementis diaboli exarsit invidia. Nam quodam die in urbe eadem quidam per subitum mentis furorem cum egressus in publicum obviam ignaros ferro confodisset, ac, pro atrocitate rei excitato tumultu, hinc atque inde multitudine infesta premeretur; eodem se, quo in scelere usus fuerat, telo tutatus, ad ecclesiam, recuperato paululum sensu, refugit, obseratisque sacrarum aedium valvis, diu reverentia loci insanientis populi furorem removit. Sed cum seditio procedens jam etiam divinae domui ignem minaretur, supradictus Antistes necessitate compulsus, accepta a primore quodam sacramentorum fide, nihil huic periculi intentandum, in custodia tantum, dum populo satisfieret, recipiendum, reum ab ecclesiæ claustris dimisit. Quem exceptum multitudo, cui in tumultu nihil pensi est, pedibus illigatis tractum, ultimo mortis supplicio affecit.

2. Tunc vero Vir ille Dei, sanctitate memorabilis, admissum facinus adscripsit sibi, non suum crimen, tam severus ultor culpae, ut putabat, suae, quam dissimulator alienae. Etenim cum fraus grassantis inimici suo sceleri ministram populi manum sibi supposuit, totum illud delictum beatissimus Justus in se retorsit: nam Justus ille, qui fuerat magnus sacerdotio, factus est major exilio. Itaque officium sacerdotale deserere, et peregrina, quo lateret, expetere decrevit. Nullus enim (se adeo inopinantibus proripuit) vel itineri ejus comes egit, praeter Viatorem, egregiae indolis puerum, qui officium tunc in ecclesia Lectoris gerebat. Hic solus beatissimum Senem latere cupientem vestigiis insecutus est; ac jam inter Arelatem atque Massiliam supra litus maris posito, et navim conscendere parato superveniens, non sine admiratione ei se obtulit: receptoque in solatium peregrinationis, heremum petens in Aegyptum navigavit.

3. Ibi ergo Justus merito et nomine, cum primum illo advenit, jam inter Sanctos positus, diu se quis esset occultavit, ut suppresso nomine atque honore humilitatis summae exerceri posset, non jam clericis tantum, verum monachis quoque ac laicis se inferiorem exhibens. Sed cum multo jam tempore ita tectus delituisset, accidit aliquando, ut summo monachorum sanctorumque conventu a quodam illic fratre, qui ab his partibus subito tunc peregrinus advenerat, agnosceretur: atque ad ejus genua provolutus est. Stupentibus cunctis, ac requirentibus, quid hoc esset, sanctum episcopum Justum esse respondit. Quo facto, admirantes universi tantae humilitatis Virum, culpantes ignorantiae suae praeteritam praesumptionem, quod Pontifici se nescientes praeposuissent, veterem erga eum abusionem recenti honore poenitebant. Admonitus est tamen jam non absque sui reverentia ab illis virtute eminentibus Sanctis, non oportuisse, eum cum aliorum peccato mercedem suam quaerere, neque ceterorum praesentium damno lucrum suae abjectionis expetere. Unde non immerito prophetico spiritu jam dudum dictum est: Delicta, quis intelligit?

4. Ego autem ipse sanctum quemdam presbyterum, pene jam nonagenariam aetatem agentem, vidi, cujus mihi relatione haec comperta sunt: nam in sermone ejus quasi sanctae historiae fides inerat. Referebat se in illis heremi partibus diu moratum fuisse, nec solum vidisse beatissimi nominis Justum, sed etiam familiaritate ejus usum fuisse; ac magnificum apparuisse inter illos, qui tunc in heremo revelationibus atque virtutibus tamquam magna luminaria rufulgebant, sanctum Macharium, Pafnutium ceterosque, quorum sanctitatis fama per Orientem vigebat. Horum itaque particeps vitae Justus noster, continuans noctes diebus orationibus et jejuniis, in conspectu Domini pervigil Lugdunensium astabat assertor. Aberat quidem eorum conspectibus, sed utilitati precibus aderat; neque illos reliquerat, ad quos utique semet intercessione referebat. Expetierat commoda fletibus loca, ut soli Domino vacans, quae pro suis peteret, efficacius impetraret. Illic ergo, velut quondam Moyses, indefessas ad caelum manus tendens, oratione contra Amalech certabat. In illa remota specula, veluti in edito colle residens, operiebatur periculosum illum cum vetusto hoste conflictum. Hujus ad precem intentas semper habens manus Sapientia ac sic adversus diaboli bellum subsidia semper pugnae suggerebat, precibus victoriam.

5. Eodem vero tempore, quo ipse in heremo morabatur, sanctus Antiochus tunc presbyter Lugdunensis, pio incitatus officio, usque ad visendum Episcopum suum pergere animo intendit, vir districtione praecipuus, et qui nunc immerito tempore interjecto ad idem pontificii culmen assumptus sit. Hic ergo cum desiderio Antistitis tanti terras ac maria transmitteret, venerandi nominis Justus adventum ejus ita fertur praenuntiasse, ut etiam quibus diebus quae accederet loca, non taceret, dicens: Carus noster Antiochus hodie illic moratur. Quod adeo manifeste probatum affirmatur, ut etiam die ipso, quo ad eundem venit, venturum esse praedixerit. Ceterum cum aliquot annis in heremo angelis proximam vitam egisset, et dignus adesset finis tantis laboribus regnum spondens caelorum; atque illis jam extremis sanctae commigrantis animae flens et consternatus mente Viator adstaret, dicens: Cui me, Domine, relinquas? respondisse dicitur, Nec turbaretur, quasi destitutus solatio, quia breve se illo quoque sequeretur. Quam utique prophetiam ac revelationem cito transitu sanctissimi juvenis constat fuisse completam.

6. Sed in gloria ejus neque illam Lugdunensium gratiam tacitus praeterierim, quod in referendo sancto ejus corpusculo usque in Australem plagam venerabilium se civium cura porrexit: et illa reverenda sancti Senis ossa a remotis terrae partibus cum alacritate et religione exhibuerunt, cum lacrymis et gaudio susceperunt; atque laboraverunt, ut qui cum ipsis jam spiritu erat, cum ipsis etiam corpore esset.


'1. And so Justus, originally a deacon at Vienne, was subsequently consecrated bishop of the church of Lyon. He presided over the church there for many years with such integrity, modesty, compassion and patience, displaying such care for the poor and such scrupulous observance of divine law, that he surpassed by the grace of his qualities those wonderful, outstanding priests of the Lord. Therefore, although he presided over the Lord’s church, with a huge increase in both the congregation and his own fame, the jealously of a raging demon flared up and led to his expulsion. One day in the city an individual went berserk, rushed outside and stabbed several people who unwittingly crossed his path. Uproar ensued in the wake of this atrocity and the perpetrator was quickly surrounded by a hostile mob. The man gradually regained his senses and, defending himself with the same weapon he had used to commit the crime, he took refuge in a church, barring the doors of the sacred building. For a time, a sense of reverence for the place quelled the fury of the mob. But when the growing discontent brought with it the threat of the church being burnt down, Justus, under great pressure, and having received solemn assurances from an official that no harm would befall the accused and that he would merely be held in custody until the people were placated, dismissed him from within the confines of the church. But the frenzied mob seized him, dragged him off, feet bound, and killed him.

2. Then indeed that man of God, memorable for his sanctity, blamed himself for what had happened, although it was not his crime, since he was a severe punisher of his own guilt (as he thought it), to the same extent that he disguised other people’s. For although the treachery of a hostile rioting mob had replaced legitimate public authority with its own wickedness, Justus took the whole weight of responsibility for the offence on himself. And so Justus, who had displayed greatness in the priesthood, became even greater in exile. He resolved to resign his priestly office and seek out foreign lands where he might hide. He departed so abruptly that his friends were unaware, and he had no companion on his journey, apart from a very talented young man called Viator, who at the time performed in church the office of reader. He alone followed in the blessed old man’s footsteps as he sought to hide himself. Viator caught up with Justus on the coast between Arles and Marseille, as he was about to board a ship and respectfully offered him his services. Welcoming some solace for the journey, Justus accepted him and set sail for Egypt, seeking the wilderness.

3. From the moment he arrived there, Justus was placed among the holy, due to his qualities and reputation. For a long time he concealed who he was, so that by hiding his name and rank he could practise the utmost humility, deferring not only to priests but also to monks and lay people. When he had remained undetected for a long time like this, it happened that he was recognised at a great gathering of monks and holy men by a brother from our region who had just arrived there as a pilgrim. The brother threw himself at the knees of Justus. Everyone was amazed and asked what this meant. The brother replied that this man was the holy bishop Justus. At this everyone admired his great humility and they berated themselves for their own previous ignorant presumption, unknowingly placing themselves above a bishop. They showed their sorrow by replacing their previous abuse of him with respect. But those holy men, eminent in virtue, admonished him, not without reverence, that it was not fitting that he should seek his