About
Shop
Contact Us

Mar 22 – St Deogratias (d. 457)

22 March, 2012

Summary: St Deogratias was chosen as bishop of Carthage, at the request of the Roman Emperor Valentinian III, Genseric, the king of the Vandals in the 5th century. They allowed a new CARTAGE 3bishop to be from amongst the priests.

Image > present-day Tunisia) with  some of the ruins  of Carthage. 

Patrick Duffy tells his story.

The expression
‘Deo gratias’ (Thank God) is the name of a north-African priest chosen to be bishop of Cartage at the time of the Vandal invasion.

The Vandals in Europe and North Africa
The Vandals were a mixture of Slavic and Germanic tribes who had embraced the Arian version of Christianity as they overran the Roman empire in the 5th century. After passing through northern Italy, France and conquering Spain, they crossed into North Africa and in 439 captured the city of Carthage. They put the Catholic bishop, Quodvultdeus, and most of his clergy, aboard a leaking hulk which somehow reached Naples. But the city was left without a Catholic bishop for fourteen years.

ancient Carthage

Ancient Carthage in the Fifth /century

Deogratias did much to ransom and care for the slaves brought there after the Vandals ransacked Rome.  His example and teaching strengthened the faith of the people and he was respected not only by Catholics, but even by Arians and pagans.

Refugees
In the year 457 Genseric attacked and sacked Rome from North Africa. He returned to Carthage with many captives, whom he distributed as slaves among Vandals and Moors. Husbands were separated from wives and children from parents.

Ransomed and cared for
 carthageDeogratias ransomed many of these captives by selling gold and silver church vessels, works of art, vestments and ornaments. He filled two of the largest churches in the city, the Basilica Fausti and the Basilica Novarum, with bedding to provide accommodation and organised a daily distribution of food.

Gratitude of the people
Deogratias’s charity was resented by the Arian faction, who tried to assassinate him, but failed. However, his efforts seem to have worn him out and he died after being bishop for only three years. So many people wanted to get relics of him that he had to be buried secretly while the public prayers were being chanted at his funeral. The people he helped would never forget him.

No successor for twenty-three years
After Deogratias the Vandals would not allow Carthage to have a Catholic bishop for another twenty-three years.