Evergislus, St.
EVERGISLUS, ST.
Bishop; d. before 594. According to the historically worthless 11th-century vita, Evergislus was the protégé, later archdeacon, of severin of cologne. According to the same vita, he stopped to pray one night in a church at Tongres, Belgium, and was set upon by robbers and murdered (c. 455). However, Evergislus is rather to be identified with the Bishop Ebregesilus or Eberigisil, whom the more reliable information of gregory of tours puts among the emissaries sent by King Childebert II (590) to restore order in a convent of women at Poitiers. Gregory relates also that Evergislus erected a church in honor of St. Mallosus at Birten. The relics of Evergislus are now in the parish church of St. Peter in Cologne. Evergislus is the first bishop of cologne to bear a German name; contrary to the 11th-century report, he seems not to have died a violent death.
Feast: Oct. 24.
Bibliography: Acta Sanctorum Oct. 10 650–661. Bibliotheca hagiographica latina antiquae et mediae aetatis (Brussels 1898–1901) 1:2365–70. Analecta Bollandiana 6 (1887) 193–198 (the incredible 11th century Vita ). l. duchesne, Fastes épiscopaux de l'ancienne Gaule (Paris 1907–15); v.3.
[w. a. jurgens]