Florus of Lyon

Who is Florus of Lyon?

Florus of Lyon, a deacon in Lyon, was an ecclesiastical writer in the first half of the ninth century. He was probably born shortly before 810. There is no reliable evidence that he was alive after January 859, so his death can be placed around the year 860.

As one of the most brilliant spirits of his time, he wrote treatises about liturgy and theology, engaged in critical examination of the Latin translations of the biblical texts and of pseudo-Augustinian texts which he detected very precisely, wrote a few poems, and composed impressive compilations of the Church Fathers on defined subjects. He had some acquaintance with Greek, which was rare in his time, and a little Hebrew. He directed the Lyons scriptorium in which he produced editions of many texts: we owe to Florus the transmission of some ancient texts : especially the Latin version of Irenæus' Adversus Hæreses and excerpts from the lost work Contra Fabianum of Fulgentius of Ruspe.

Almost forgotten for a thousand years, he was rediscovered thanks in part to the works of Dom Célestin Charlier, O.S.B., in the mid-twentieth century. Subsequent studies are beginning to provide the first critical editions of his works.