DESIDERIUS OF CAHORS, ST.

Merovingian bishop of Cahors (known also as Didier, Géry); b. Obroge, France; d. Milhac, Nov. 15, 655. Desiderius was a member of a wealthy Gallo-Roman family. Upon coming of age, he and his brothers, Syagrius and St. Rusticus, took their places in the court of the Merovingian Chlotar II (d. 623). Rusticus received an ecclesiastical post as bishop of Cahors. Syagrius became count of Albi and, perhaps, prefect of Marseilles, though this is not certain. Desiderius, a court favorite, was made royal treasurer in 608. Upon the murder of Rusticus, Desiderius was consecrated bishop of Cahors in 630 by sul picius of bourges. His vita states that he was faithful to king and Church. Some 16 of his letters and 20 received by him survive in good Latin. This correspondence includes letters of King Sigebert III and Grimoald, Sigebert's mayor of the palace. Desiderius is credited with writing a rule, holding regular synods, building a number of churches, and establishing monasteries.

Feast: Nov. 15.

Bibliography: Acta Sanctae Sedis Feb. 3:172. Patrologia Latina ed. j. p. migne (Paris 1878–90) 87:239–246. Corpus Christian-orum. Series latina 117:309–401. a. butler, The Lives of the Saints, ed. h. thurston and d. attwater (New York 1956) 11:476–482. h. platelle, Catholicisme 4:1900–01. r. van doren, Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques, ed. a. baudrillart et al. (Paris 1912) 14:399.

[b. f. scherer]