January 4th - St. Gregory, Bishop of Langres

Saint Gregory was the Count of Autun, a Christian administrator whose government was respected and blessed by the citizens of that city. After governing for about forty years, he lost his worthy wife in death, and then, resigning his office, he entered into the clergy. It was not long before he was consecrated, in view of his singular virtues, Bishop of Langres. Saint Gregory of Tours wrote of him that he lived like an anchorite in the midst of the world. During his administration, two monasteries which would later acquire fame were founded in his diocese, that of Saint John de Reome, and an offshoot founded by Saint Seine.

Saint Gregory presided in the see of Langres with admirable prudence and zeal for another thirty-three years, sanctifying his pastoral labors by the most profound humility, assiduous prayer, and extraordinary abstinence and mortification. An incredible number of infidels were converted by him from idolatry, and worldly Christians from their disorders. He died at the beginning of the year 539, a few days after the Epiphany. Out of devotion to Saint Benignus, he desired to be buried near that Saint's tomb at Dijon; that wish was fulfilled by the care of his virtuous son Tetricus, who succeeded him in his see.