Ildephonsus of Toledo

Saint Ildephonsus of Toledo
Ildephonsus as portrayed by El Greco.
Born	607
Died	23 January 667
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church
Feast	23 January

Roman Catholic Church

Saint Ildefonsus or Ildephonsus (rarely Ildephoses or Ildefonse; Spanish San Ildefonso; born circa 607, died 23 January 667) was a scholar and theologian who served as the metropolitan bishop of Toledo for the last decade of his life. His Gothic name was Hildefuns.

Although his writings were less influential outside of Hispania, Ildefonsus was canonised and remained a potent force in the peninsula for centuries. Spanish and (to a lesser extent) Portuguese missionaries spread his cult worldwide.

Ildefonsus was born to a prominent Visigothic family in Toledo during the reign of Witteric. Civil wars racked the Visigothic kingdom during most of Ildefonsus' life. His uncle Eugenius, who later became Toledo's bishop, began educating the devout youth. Ildefonsus began his religious career circa 632 when Bishop Eladius of Toledo ordained him as a deacon. However, Ildefonse defied his family's plans for his clerical career by becoming a monk at the Agali monastery outside the city. While he was still a simple monk, he founded and endowed a monastery of nuns. In 650 Ildefonsus was elected its abbot of Agali. In that capacity, Ildefonsus attended two synods of the Iberian church, the 8th and 9th Councils of Toledo. When his uncle Bishop Eugenius II died in 657, Ildefonsus was elected his successor as bishop of Toledo. King Recceswinth compelled him to accept the position, as Ildefonsus later complained to his protege and successor, Bishop Quiricus of Barcelona.

At the end of the eighth century Cixila, Archbishop of Toledo, embellished the biography of his predecessor. He relates that Ildephonsus was one day praying before the relics of Saint Leocadia, when the martyr arose from her tomb and thanked the saint for the devotion he showed towards the Mother of God.