E01614: A tract on the Trinity, written in Latin, probably in Gaul, probably in the 6th century, claims that cities where the churches were founded by the Apostles have never fallen under the control of heretics. It lists Jerusalem; Ephesus, founded by *John (the Apostle and Evangelist, S00042); Alexandria, founded by *Mark (the Evangelist, S00293); and Smyrna, where the first bishop was Polycarp/Polykarpos (S00004). It then lists four founders of sees in Gaul: *Trophimus (bishop of Arles, S00617), *Paulus (bishop of Narbonne, S00503), *Saturninus (bishop and martyr of Toulouse, S00289), and *Daphnus (bishop of Vaison, S00851), and claims them as disciples of the Apostles. The tract has been attributed to Caesarius of Arles, but the attribution is questionable.

Tract on the Mystery of the Holy Trinity (Libellus de mysterio sanctae Trinitatis) 17

Si nolunt considerare oculis cordis, vel corporis oculos aperiant, et videant, quia, quomodo per totum mundum per apostolos et apostolicos viros Christus ecclesiam fundavit catholicam, ita in ipso fundamento gratia sua cooperante permanet, ut exinde divelli nullis umquam persecutionibus potuisset : in tantum, ut nec ipsis temporibus, quibus imperatores vel reges religionis alterius ecclesiam catholicam totis viribus impugnabant, fundamentum, quod apostoli posuerunt, aut invadere praesumpserint, aut invadere potuerint. Denique, si volumus considerare, in ipsa Hierusolyma, ubi Christus et natus et passus est, ecclesia catholica optinet principatum. In Epheso autem, quomodo a sancto Iohanne evangelista constituta est, ita perdurat : in Alexandria, sicut a domno Marco fundata est, ita deo auxiliante usque hodie perseverat : in Smyrna etiam, ubi sanctus Policarpus et successor apostolorum fuit episcopus, ecclesia catholica privilegium tenet.

Similiter et illas omnes ecclesias, quibus apostolus Paulus scripsit, numquam vel potuerunt vel praesumpserunt alterius religionis principes occupare. Ipsa etiam Romana ecclesia, quae et prius imperatores et postea reges alterius legis habuit, considerent quod nullus ex eis ausus fuerit sedem apostolicam occupare.

In Galliis etiam civitas Arelatensis discipulum apostolorum sanctum Trophimum habuit fundatorem, Narbonensis sanctum Paulum, Tolosana sanctum Saturninum, Vasensis sanctum Daphnum. Per istos enim quattuor apostolorum discipulos in universa Gallia ita sunt ecclesiae constitutae, ut eas per tot annorum spatia numquam permiserit Christus ab adversariis occupari, implens promissionem suam, qua dixerit : super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam, et portae inferi, id est, hereticorum sectae, non praevalebunt adversus eam.


'If they are unable to consider with the eyes of their heart, let them open the eyes of their body and see that, just as, throughout the world, Christ founded the catholic church through the Apostles or apostolic men, so it remained on this foundation, with his grace cooperating, to such an extent that from then on it could not be torn away by any persecutions; to such an extent that not in any times when emperors or kings of another religion attacked the catholic church with all their strength did they dare to attack, or were they able to attack, the foundation which the Apostles laid. So, if we want to think about it, in Jerusalem itself, where Christ was both born and suffered, the catholic church holds the primacy. In Ephesus, just as it was founded by John the Evangelist, so it endures; in Alexandria, just as it was founded by St Mark, so by the help of God it remains to this day; in Smyrna too, where Polycarp, saint and successor of the Apostles, was bishop, the catholic church holds a special position.

Similarly too, emperors of another religion neither were able nor presumed to occupy any of the churches to which Paul wrote. The very church of Rome had first emperors and then kings of another law; let them consider that none of these dared to occupy the apostolic see.

In Gaul too, the city of Arles had Trophimus the disciple of the Apostles as a founder, Narbonne the holy Paul, Toulouse the holy Saturninus, Vaison the holy Daphnus. Through these four disciples of the Apostles, churches were established in the whole of Gaul in such a way that through such long passages of years, Christ has never permitted them to be occupied by adversaries, fulfilling his promise: on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell – that is, the heretical sects – will not prevail against it.'

Text: Morin 1942, 179-80. Translation: David Lambert.