Patrocle of Arles

Patrocle (??? - † 426)

Archbishop of Arles (412- † 426)

Biography

Young person and of great quality though its biographers say some (Jean-Maurice Rouquette), it is established in 412 bishop of Arles by a popular movement who reverses the Hero bishop, at the time of the fights between Constance and Constantin; this election causes in all the episcopate of Provence of the disorders prolonged in particular between Proculus, the bishop of Marseilles, and Patrocle.
Indeed in 417, Proculus, decides, with the complicity of the bishop of Aix, Lazarus, to name a bishop in Ciotat and St Jean, cities close to Marseilles but being on the territory of the diocese of Arles, then very wide. Being obviously a provocation compared to the compromised of Turin, Patrocle, court gentleman, directly will plead its cause to Rome by pointing out the decisions of this Concile. The pope Zosime (417- † 418) gives whole satisfaction to the claims of the arlésiens. He returns the rights on évêchés disputed, excommunicates Lazarus and Proculus, gives to Patrocle authority on the old province of Narbonnese and makes of Patrocle its vicar as a Gaulle. It grants the privilege thus to him to deliver the litterae formatae with all the Gallic clerks, and forms of Arles the link obliged for all the relationships to the Holy See since these letters are essential to be received in Rome (what besides is contrary with the council of Turin). The ecclesiastical hierarchy is not copied any more on the flow chart of the civil administration, but on a tradition arlésienne: the memory of Trophime saint, founder of the Church of Arles.

In addition at this same time - simple coincidence? - the town of Arles sees growing its political role. By edict of April 17th 418, received in Arles on May 23rd, this city is selected like place of annual meeting of the seven-provinces of the diocese of Viennese, which assembled must be held each year between on August 13rd and on September 13rd, in the presence of the prefect of the court, the governors of the provinces, noble covered official dignities and deputies of the curies.

However, as of 419, the successor of the Zosime pope, Boniface Ier (419 to 422), reconsidering the decision of its predecessor, upsets the facts of the case by recognizing the bishops of Narbonne and Vienna like subways, however leaving in Arles the religious supervision on the two provinces of Narbonnese Second and the Alpes-Maritimes.

Patrocle is an important character. It is with him and Amatus the prefect of Gaules that in 425, the emperor Valentinien III forwards a decree in which it stipulates prohibition made to the Jews occupy of the legal functions, to be useful in the army and to have Christian servants. The same year, pontifical vicariate is confirmed to him by the regent Galla Placidia.

Patrocle dies assassinated in the beginning of the year 426 victim of the hatred of the new Patrice and Master of the Roman militia ( Magister Militum ), Felix. One suspects also Proculus, the bishop of Marseilles, with which Patrocle often disputed to have soaked in the murder of its rival. According to the historian Émilienne Demougeot, this murder could also have for origin sympathies pro-barbarians of the bishop.

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