Saint of the Day – 28 September – Saint Exuperius of Toulouse (Died c411) Bishop and Confessor, Apostle of the destitute, the poor, the deprived and needy including aid to the poor in Egypt and Palestine. Born on an unknown date probably in France and died in c411 in Toulouse of natural causes. He was highly regarded by St Jerome who dedicated one of his works to him. Also known as – Exupère, Essuperio, Exsuperius, Soupire.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Toulouse, St Exuperius, Bishop and Confessor. St Jerome bears witness to this blessed man, a memorable testimony, relating how severed he was towards himself and how gentle and liberal towards others.”
His place and date of birth are unknown. Upon succeeding Sylvius as the Bishop of Toulouse, he ordered the completion of the Basilica of St Saturninus, a part of which was incorporated into the Basilica of St Sernin.
St Jerome praised Exuperius “for his munificence to the Monks of Palestine, Egypt and Libya and, for his charity to the people of his own Diocese, who were then suffering from the attacks of the Vandals.” On behalf of the poor in his Diocese, he sold the Basilica’s Altar Vessels and was, therefore, compelled to carry the Sacred Offering in an osier willow basket and the Precious Blood in a vessel of glass.
In respect of his virtues and in gratitude for his gifts, St Jerome dedicated his Commentary on Zacharias to him.
Exuperius is best known in connection with the biblical Canon. He had written to Pope Innocent I for instructions concerning the Canon and several points of Ecclesiastical behaviour. In reply, the Pope honoured him with the letter ‘Consulenti Tibi’ dated 20 February 405 which contained a list of the Canonical scriptures.
From St Jerome’s letter to Furia in 394 and from the epistle of St Paulinus to St Amandus of Bordeaux in 397, it seems probable that Exuperius was a Priest at Rome and later at Bordeaux, before he was raised to the Episcopate.
The precise date of his promotion to the Seat of Toulouse is unknown. Evidence suggests that he occupied the See of Toulouse in February 405 (as is evident from the letter of Innocent I mentioned above). It is sometimes said that St Jerome reproached him in a letter to Riparius, a Priest of Spain, for tolerating the heretic Vigilantius but, as Vigilantius did not belong to the Diocese of Toulouse, St Jerome was probably speaking of another Bishop.
Exuperius was venerated as a Saint from early times. In the time of St Gregory of Tours he was held in equal veneration with St Saturninus. His Feast occurs on 28 September. The first Martyrologist to assign it to this date was Usuard, who wrote towards the end of the 9th Century. There are many Churches, Schools and charitable Apostolates named after St Exuperius.
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