Nectarius of Auvergne

Who is Nectarius of Auvergne?

Saint Nectarius of Auvergne is venerated as a 4th-century martyr and Christian missionary.

According to Gregory of Tours, Nectarius was one of the seven missionaries sent by Pope Fabian from Rome to Gaul to spread Christianity there. The other six were Gatianus of Tours, Trophimus of Arles, Paul of Narbonne, Martial of Limoges, Denis of Paris, and Saturninus of Toulouse.

Nectarius was accompanied by the priests Baudimius and Auditor; tradition states that they were all brothers. An alternate tradition states that Saint Peter rather than Pope Fabian sent Nectarius and his brothers to evangelize Gaul.

A third tradition states that Saint Austremonius ordered Nectarius to Christianize the plain of Limagne in the Massif Central. Nectarius turned a temple dedicated to Apollo on the hill known as Cornadore into a Christian church, which became the Basilica of Notre Dame du Mont Cornadore at Saint-Nectaire, at Puy-de-Dôme. Nectarius was subsequently killed by the local pagan leader, Bradulus.