View source for Paulinus of Trier

Our father among the [[saint]]s '''Paulinus of Trier''' was the sixth [[bishop]] of Trier, in present day Germany, who was among the foremost Gallic defenders of [[orthodoxy]] during the Christological conflicts with [[Arianism]]. His feast day is [[August 31]]. 

==Life==
Little is known of the early life of Paulinus. He was born in what is known as Gascony in France. He was educated in the [[cathedral]] school at Poitiers. He accompanied St. [[Maximinus of Trier|Maximinus]] to Trier in present day Germany. At that time Trier, also Treves, was the government seat of the Western emperor of the Roman empire. There, he apparently was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] a bishop by Maximinus and succeeded him as Bishop of Trier in 349.

Paulinus attended the Council of Sirmium in 351, where he boldly championed the orthodox position. When the letter of condemnation of St. [[Athanasius of Alexandria|Athanasius]] was tendered for him to sign, he scornfully rejected it and exclaimed that he would sign the condemnation of Photinus and Marcellus, but not of Athanasius.

At the Council of Arles in 353, Paulinus's fate was decided. There, he was targeted by the Arians, and  emperor Constantius II, a friend of the Arians, decreed the banishment of all bishops who refused to subscribe to the condemnation of Athanasius. Paulinus remained firm and, after being condemned by the bishops, he was driven into exile to Phrygia in Asia Minor, to areas inhabited by heathen and [[heretic]]s. This occurred in 353 or, at latest, in 354. 

He died five years later, in either 358 or 359, while in exile. His [[relics]] were returned to Trier in 395 where he was entombed in the [[crypt]] of the city's St. Paulinus Church, which was dedicated to him. The [[church]], named for him, was then outside the walls of the city and was one of the earliest churches at Trier.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=[[Maximinus of Trier|Maximinus]]|
title=Bishop of Trier|
years=349-359|
after=Bonosus}}
{{end box}} 

==Sources==
*[http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/saintsp.htm  Paulinus of Trier]
*[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_Christian_Biography_and_Literature_to_the_End_of_the_Sixth_Century/Paulinus,_bishop_of_Trèves  Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature]
*[[Wikipedia:Paulinus_of_Treves]] 
*[http://www.germanculture.com.ua/august/august31.htm  August 31 in German History]

[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: French Saints]]
[[Category: German Saints]]
[[Category:Pre-Schism Western Saints]]
[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category:4th-century bishops]]
[[Category: Bishops of Trier]]
[[Category:4th-century saints]]