Saint of the Day – 24 December – Saint Delphinus of Bordeaux (Died 403) Bishop

Saint of the Day – 24 December – Saint Delphinus of Bordeaux (Died 403) the 2nd Bishop of Bordeaux, Defender of the True Faith, friend of St Ambrose and St Venerius of Milan. He was also instrumental in the conversion of the great St Paulinus of Nola, becoming his spiritual father and teacher. Also known as – Delfinus, Delphin.

We know little about his origins and early career but in 380 he became the 2nd Bishop of Bordeaux (380-403) after Orientalis, who attended the Council of Arles in 314.

The first we hear of Delphinus is when he attended the Synod of Saragossa in 380, where the Priscillianists and other heretics were condemned. This heresy argued that the renunciation of marriage and the acceptance of asceticism were prerequisites for following Christ.

Delphinus later assembled a Council at Bordeaux, his Episcopal City, whose assembly also condemned the same errors. Such was the force and zealous preaching of the Bishop of Bordeaux, against those who propagated this heresy in his territory that it undermined their influence entirely and they soon abandoned the region for Italy.

Delfinus seems in his time to have had a very great prestige which went beyond the boundaries of his own Diocese. He was a close friend of the old Bishop Febadius of Agen and had a regular correspondence with St Ambrose of Milan, who valued highly his correspondence with Delphinus. He was also a friend of Saint Venerius of Milan and Ordained Saint Amandus , who was to succeed him as Bishop of Bordeaux (404-410; 420-c431).

Delphinus had a great influence on Pontius Meropius Anicius Paulinus, who became the wonderful St Paulinus of Nola . Paulinus’ conversion was due in a large part to his wife and Bishop Delphinus, who baptised him in 388 and inspired in him, the desire to live a life of perfection. In several letters, St Paulinus speaks of St Delphinus as his father and his master. Five of Paulinus’ letters, to his spiritual father, were preserved for many years and testify to the great opinion and respect he had for Delphinus. The correspondence has now disappeared.

St Delphinus died on Christmas Eve in 403.