Quiricus

Who was Quiricus?

Quiricus was Bishop of Barcelona from 648 until 667 and Bishop of Toledo thereafter until his death.

While bishop of Barcelona, Quiricus wrote a hymn in honour of Saint Eulalia. The hymn Barchinon laete Cucufate vernans, in honour of Saint Cucuphas, was probably also composed by Quiricus at Barcelona. At Quiricus' request, Taio, Bishop of Zaragoza, compiled a collection of extracts from the work of Gregory the Great in 653–654, when progress on the compilation was slowed by the revolt of Froia and the invasion of the Basques. Quiricus was also the dedicatee of Ildefonsus' De perpetua virginitate.

Quiricus was transferred from Barcelona to the metropolitan see of Toledo in 667. His transfer was contrary to canon law, but was an early act symbolising the centrality and primacy of Toledo. In 672, in accordance with the tenth canon of the Eighth Council of Toledo, he anointed the duly elected Wamba after the death of Reccesuinth.

In 675 Quiricus presided over the Eleventh Council of Toledo. In 681 the ecumenical Third Council of Constantinople repudiated monothelitism and affirmed the doctrine of dythelitism, that Christ had two wills. A decision of the council was sent to Quiricus, but he had died by the time it reached Spain.