Phoebadius of Agen

Phoebadius of Agen (also, Phaebadius, Foegadius, or, in French, Phébade; died ca. 392) was a Catholic bishop of the fourth century. At the Council of Ariminum in 359 and other councils, he was a supporter of Nicaean orthodoxy. He wrote several works, including a treatise against the Arians which still survives.

Life

Phoebadius was a Gaul by birth. It seems likely that he was born in the province of Aquitania, since Sulpicius Severus refers to him as Foegadius noster ("our" Foegadius, a variant spelling of Phoebadius's name). He may have even been born in Agen, where he was bishop. He was certainly a bishop by 357, however, which was the year that he and other bishops rejected the so-called second Sirmian Confession, a pro-Arian creed endorsed by Constantius II.

In 357 Phoebadius published a treatise against the Arians. Commenting on this Liber contra Arianos, Butler remarks that it is "written in so masterly a manner, with such solidity, justness, and close reasoning, as to make us regret the loss of his other works."

Phoebadius attended several other councils after Ariminum. He was present at the Council of Paris in 360, His involvement in the Council of Valence is inferred by the name "Foegadius" which appears in the first place in the synodal letter of the council, but the name of a diocese is not provided, the texts do not say that he presided at the council, and is his name is not listed among the subscribers.

The year of his death is not known, but he was still living in 392. That is the year when Jerome wrote his work De viris illustribus, which mentions that Phoebadius was alive, although of an advanced age. The short biography provided by Jerome reads as follows:

The feast day of Phoebadius is celebrated on April 25 in the Diocese of Agen.