Biography
Villicus of Metz
About Villicus of Metz
Villicus was a bishop of Metz in the sixth century. The diocesan list honors him as a saint and places him after Hesperius.
Fortunatus praises his hospitality and care for people lacking food or clothing. His verses also thank Villicus for welcoming him at table.
Hervé Oudart cautions that such episcopal praise employs recurring literary themes. He reads its scriptural language as a statement about the duties of a bishop, rather than a neutral inventory of charitable acts.
A letter from Dynamius shows another of Villicus’s connections. Its writer apologizes for delaying a response to the bishop’s request and explains that his own troubles have hindered him. He praises Villicus’s generosity and asks to be remembered in prayer. The deference belongs to a relationship in which affection and practical assistance were closely connected.
Dynamius also asks Villicus to make his difficulties known to people who could bring them to the king’s attention, or to secure his prompt return. He thanks the bishop for gifts and praises generosity that reaches beyond his own city. The request shows what Dynamius hoped Villicus could do; the letter alone does not establish the outcome.
The modern scholarly catalogue places Villicus’s death before 581 and records his feast on April 17. It does not provide a secure exact death year.
Wondering how to weigh the stories and sources? Learn how to read a saint biography.