Portal:Catholicism/Patron Archive/January 1

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Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe (Thelepte, 462 or 467 — 1 January 527 or 533) was bishop of the city of Ruspe, North Africa, in the 5th and 6th century who was canonized as a Christian saint. Fabius Claudius Gordianus Fulgentius was born into a noble family of Carthage, which had been cut off from the Roman Empire some thirty years earlier by the Vandals.

His father died while Fulgentius was still quite young. He quickly gained wide respect for his conduct of the family affairs, as well as for the respect he showed his mother. This reputation helped him to acquire a post as a civil servant in the government of Rome, as a procurator of Byzacena. He quickly grew tired of the material life.

Determined to become a monk, he applied to Faustus, a bishop who had been forced from his diocese by the Vandal king Huneric and later set up a monastery at Byzacena. Renewed attacks on the area forced Fulgentius to leave for another nearby monastery. The abbot there, Felix, gave Fulgentius the duty of managing the termporal affairs of the monastery, while he himself managed the spiritual affairs. The two of them worked quite well together, and, in 499, during another Arian persecution in the area, fled for Sicca Veneria. There they preached the Chalcedonian teaching regarding the dual nature of Jesus. Upon learning of this, a local Arian priest had them arrested and tortured.

Upon being released, Fulgentius planned to go to Alexandria, but changed his mind upon hearing the Arians had taken control of Egypt. He opted instead to go to Rome, where he prayed at the tombs of the apostles. He then returned to Byzacena, where he built a monastery, electing himself to live in an isolated cell. Fulgentius's reputation quickly spread, and he was frequently offered the post of bishop of one of the dioceses which had been vacated through the actions of the Arian king Thrasamund. He chose not to accept these offers, knowing Thrasamund had specifically ordered that only Arians be permitted to fill those sees.

Fulgentius was ultimately persuaded to take the post of bishop of Ruspe in Tunisia. He made a strong impression on the people of his new diocese with his obvious virtues, but was soon banished to Sardinia with some sixty other bishops who did not hold the Arian position. Pope Symmachus knew of their plight and sent them annual provisions of food and money. Later, Fulgentius retired for a monastery on the island of Circinia. He was however recalled to Ruspe, and served there until his death on 1 January, 533.
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