Saint Remigius (French Saint Remi or Saint Rémy), Bishop of Reims, Apostle of the Franks, (ca 437– January 13 533) effected the conversion to Christianity of Clovis, King of the Franks, at Christmas, 496, one of the turning points in the success of Catholicism and a climacteric moment in European history.

Remigius was born, traditionally at Cerny, near Laon, into the highest levels of Gallo-Roman society, said to have been son of Emilius, count of Laon (who is not otherwise attested) and of Celina, daughter of the bishop of Soissons, which Clovis had conquered in 486. He studied at Reims and soon became so noted for learning and sanctity (Catholic Encyclopedia) in addition to his high status, that he was elected bishop of Reims in his twenty-second year, though still a layman.

The story of the return of the sacred vessels, which had been stolen from the church of Soissons testifies

Clovis granted Remigius stretches of territory, in which the latter established and endowed many churches. He erected bishoprics at Tournai; Cambrai; Terouanne, where he personally ordained the first bishop in 499; Arras, where he installed St. Waast; and Laon, which he gave to his niece's husband Gunband. In 530 he consecrated Medardus, bishop of Noyon. Remigius' brother Principius was bishop of Soissons and also corresponded with Sidonius

The chroniclers of Gallia Christiana record that numerous donations were made to Remigius by the Frankish nobles, which he presented to the cathedral at Reims.

Though Remigius never attended any of the church councils, in 517 he held a synod at Reims, at which after a heated discussion he converted a bishop of Arian views. Although St. Remigius's influence over people and prelates was extraordinary, upon one occasion his condonement of the offences of one Claudius, a priest whom Remigius consecrated, brought upon him the rebukes of his episcopal brethren, who deemed Claudius deserving of degradation. The reply of Remigius, still extant, is able and convincing.

Few authentic works of Remigius remain: his Declamations were elaborately admired by Sidonius Apollinaris, in a finely-turned letter to Remigius () but are lost. Four letters survive: one containing his defence in the matter of Claudius, two written to Clovis, and a fourth to the Bishop of Tongeren. The Testament of St. Remigius is apocryphal. A brief and strictly legendary Vita was formerly ascribed to Venantius Fortunatus. Another, according to Jacobus de Voragine, was written by Ignatius, bishop of Reims. A letter congratulating Pope Hormisdas upon his election (523) is apocryphal, and "the letter in which Pope Hormisdas appears to have appointed him vicar of the kingdom of Clovis is proved to be spurious; it is presumed to have been an attempt of Hincmar to base his pretensions for the elevation of Reims to the primacy, following the alleged precedent of Remigius" (Hauck).

A Commentary on the Pauline Epistles (edited Villalpandus, 1699) is not his work, but that of Remigius, bishop of Auxerre (Encyclopaedia Britannica 1911).

His relics were kept in the cathedral of Reims, whence Hincmar had them translated to Epernay during the Viking invasions and thence, in 1099, at the instance of Pope Leo IX, to the Abbey of Saint-Rémy. His feast is celebrated 1 October.

Reference

• Jacobus de Voragine, Golden Legend: Remigius von Reims

Saint Remi (évêque de Reims) Remigius