Biography
Hesychius II of Vienne
About Hesychius II of Vienne
Hesychius II was a sixth-century bishop of Vienne. The Orthodox Encyclopedia distinguishes him from the earlier bishop of the same name and places his service during the reign of Justinian.
His epitaph recalls a career at court before he entered episcopal life. It calls him a royal quaestor, then describes him turning toward service in the Church. The poem praises his peacemaking and says that he taught the brethren, including through his knowledge of calculation and the measurement of time.
His sister Marcella is part of this surviving record. The epitaph names her as the grieving sister who provided the inscription, and places his burial beside that of Avitus. Its words preserve both a public tribute to the bishop and a family’s remembrance.
Léger’s medieval account of Vienne’s bishops records his attendance at a council in Orléans. It includes the epitaph and places his commemoration on November 12.
A tradition about the foundation of the see of Maurienne also gives him a role in consecrating its church and first bishop. The Orthodox Encyclopedia identifies this as a legend preserved in a tenth-century manuscript and notes that another version does not name him.
Modern calendars require caution: Per Einar Odden explains that some references combine this bishop with Hesychius I, the father of Avitus. The two should remain distinct.
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