Luperculus (Lupercus, Lupercius) (French: Luperc, Loubert, Spanish: Lupercio) is venerated as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. Christian tradition states that he was a bishop of Eauze and was martyred by the governor Dacian during the reign of Decius.[1] He was traditionally the second in that episcopal see, the first bishop being Paternus.[2][3]

Saint Luperculus
Bishop and martyr
Died3rd century
Zaragoza or Eauze
Venerated inCatholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church
FeastMarch 1; March 5 (Tarbes); June 28

His legend states that his steadfastness led to the conversion of several pagans to Christianity, including a man named Anatolius, captain of the guard.[3]

Eauze Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Luperc) at Eauze is dedicated to him.[4]

Eauze is his principal place of veneration, but he was widely venerated in the Armagnac region.[3] He was also venerated at Tarbes.[5]

There is a saint of that name who was martyred at Zaragoza around 304 AD, who is mentioned by Prudentius. This Saint Luperculus had the feast day of April 16. Sabine Baring-Gould writes that the two saints are the same person: "Probably S. Luperculus preached [at Eauze], and thence traveled to Spain, where he suffered."[1] A tradition in Spain makes this Lupercus (San Lupercio) an uncle of the virgin martyr Saint Engratia, who shared the same feast day of April 16.[1] Some sources state that the two saints are not the same person.[6]

Another saint Lupercus was said to have been a son of Marcellus of Tangier, and was martyred at León, Spain with his brothers Claudius and Victoricus.[7]

Saint-Loubert takes its name from him.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Sabine Baring-Gould, The Lives of the Saints (J. Hodges, 1874), 410.
  2. ^ Bulletin 1999-2000 1ère partie Archived 2008-03-23 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ a b c Luperculus, S. - Zeno.org
  4. ^ "Eauze cathedral fire", La Croix International, November 15th, 2019
  5. ^ St. Lupercus - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online
  6. ^ "Lexikoneintrag zu "Luperculus, S.". Vollständiges Heiligen-Lexikon, Band 3. Augsburg".
  7. ^ Santi Claudio, Luperco e Vittorico
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