Home Encyclopedia Summa Fathers ... T > Toledo A B C D ... Z Toledo ARCHDIOCESE OF TOLEDO (TOLETANENSIS) Christianity was introduced into Carpetania in the first century. According to an ancient and venerable tradition the Roman, St. Eugenius, is named as the first Bishop of Toledo and the founder of the see. Certain chronological lists give a series of bishops of Toledo prior to and following St. Eugenius, but modern historical criticism has rejected them. A fierce persecution raged in Toledo under the emperors Diocletian Christianity ; and Aurasius (603-15), who successfully defended the claim of Toledo for metropolitan supremacy which was disputed by Cartagena. The archbishops of the seventh century (615-90) were distinguished for their holiness: St. Eladius (615-33); St. Eugenius III (646-57), poet, theologian, and musician; St. Ildefonsus (659-68), the most notable prelate of Toledo during the Gothic epoch, conqueror of the Jovinian heresy, favoured with celestial manifestations, author of a celebrated book in defence of the virginity of Mary and of other dogmatic, moral, and historical treatises; and St. Julian II (680-90), author of many works, the best known of which is "Historia Rebellionis Pauli adversus Wambam". During the Mussulman occupation (a period of 373 years) the condition of the Christians Vith the reconquest of Toledo in 1085 by Alfonso VI of Castile, the diocese entered upon a new and more prosperous era, favoured as it was by donations and privileges not only of the Castilian sovereigns, but of other potentates and of all social classes. It was thus that it reached that height of power and splendour which made it the envy of all the churches of the kingdom, and which enabled it to contribute such large sums to all national enterprises, to the erection of notable monuments, to the succour of the needy, and to the general diffusion of learning and culture. The first bishop of this period was the Frenchman, Bernard, a Cluniac monk and Abbot of Sahagun (1086-1124), in whose time the principal church of Toledo was once more restored to Catholic worship, and | |
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