Justus of Lyon

Justus of Lyon (Latin: Iustus, lit. '"one who helps"') was the 13th bishop of Lyon. He succeeded Vérissime in the mid-4th century. He is venerated as a Saint by both the Catholic and the Orthodox Church and celebrated on 2 September.

He was born in the first half of the 4th century in Tournon-sur-Rhône and came from an aristocratic family. He would follow the religious teaching of St. Paschase, the Archbishop of Vienna at the time and became a deacon of the Church of Vienna.

He was later elected bishop of Lyon (374-381) by the popular election the city at an unknown date in the mid-fourth century. As bishop of the capital of Gaul, he is among the participants of the Valencia Council of 374 of religious discipline of the clergy and the faithful.

In 381, we find the council of Aquileia. A general council had been asked by Arian bishops Palladius and Sécondien supported by the Empress Justina to review the Church's position on Arianism. Ambrose refused to hold a general council, agreeing only to a provincial council, but the Emperor Gratian allows the arrival of other bishops. Gaul bishops sent delegates including Just who was one of 32 bishops of the council. There clearly expressed its rejection of Arianism and condemned Palladius and Sécondien.

At that time, he maintained a correspondence with Ambrose of Milan of which there remain only two letters of explanation of Scripture addressed by Ambrose to Justus.

Some time after the Council of Aquileia, there took place an incident involving the lynching of a criminal who had found refuge in the cathedral. The legend goes that despite the immunity conferred by the Cathedral Justus was unable to save the man from the mob, whom Justus had assured of protection.

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