St. Viator of Lyon the Catechist (BF 02) Postcard

Little is known of St. Viator of Lyon (4th century), a Gallo-Roman lector. At that time, the office of lector was strictly an ordained ministry. As assigned by his bishop St. Justus, St. Viator proclaimed the Scriptures at liturgy and instructed young people in the Faith at Lyon Cathedral. The bishop obviously thought very highly of St. Viator to entrust him with such an important task. And, the feeling was mutual: when St. Justus decided to retire from his bishopric to become a monk in Egypt, St. Viator joined him. The two saints died within weeks of each other at Scetes (present-day Wadi El Natrun), Egypt, c. 390, perhaps as the result of an epidemic. + St. Viator is patron saint of Catechists or Catechism Teachers and the Viatorians. The Viatorians or Clerics of St. Viator are a congregation of priests, brothers, and lay associates that was founded in 1831 by Fr. Louis Querbes. Their charism is education at all levels, from elementary school through university, and missionary work. + Here St. Viator holds a lily of purity in one hand; in the other, an open book. The words inscribed on the pages of the book St. Viator holds are “Adoretur et ametur Jesus” which translates “Adored and loved be Jesus”. It was a favourite devotional phrase of Fr. Querbes. Today, it is the motto of the Viatorians. + Incidentally, our borders are designed to mimic the designs on the embroidery at the neckline and on the sleeves of the saint’s garment. + Feast: October 21 + NOTE WELL: St. Viator of Lyon the Catechist is often confused with St. Viator of Bergamo, a 4th-century Italian bishop (Feasts: January 15 and, in Bergamo, December 14). + Image Credit (BF 02): Antique image of St. Viator from a devotional chromolithograph, originally published by Boumard et Fils, Paris, France, late 19th-early 20th century, from the designer’s private collection of religious ephemera.