Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 6.djvu/471

 GENERATIONISM

413

GENEVIEVE

primitive meaning of "circuit", "period", conveyed by the Hebrew term yn, d6r.

Gesenius, Thesaurus (Leipzig. 1S29); Furst, Hebrew and Chatdee Lexicon (Leipzig, 1867); Brown, Driver and Briggs, Hebrew and English Lexicon (New York, 1906).

Francis E. Gigot. Oenerationism. See Traducianism.

Genesareth (reyvniTapiT). — This is the name given to the Lake of Tiberias in Luke, v, 1; called rcn-Tjirdp in I Maeh., xi, 67. (See Tiberias, Lake of.)

Genesis, the name of the first book of the Penta- teuch (q.v.).

Genesius, (1) a comedian at Rome, martyred under Diocleti:in in 286 or 303. Feast, 25 August. He is invoked against epilepsy, and is honoured as patron of theatrical performers and of musicians. The legend (Acta SS., Aug., V, 119) relates: Genesius, the leader of a theatrical troupe in Rome, performing one day before the Emperor Diocletian, and wishing to expose Christian rites to the ridicule of his audience, pre- tended to receive the Sacrament of Baptism. When the water had been poured upon him he proclaimed himself a Christian. Diocletian at first enjoyed the realistic play, but, finding Genesius to be in earnest, ordered him to be tortured and then beheaded. He was buried on the Via Tiburtina. His relics are said to be partly in San Giovanni della Pigna, partly in S. Susanna di Termini and in the chapel of St. Lawrence. The legend was dramatized in the fifteenth century; embodied in later years in the oratorio " Polus Atella" of Lowe (d. 1869), and still more recently in a work by Weingartner (Berlin, 1892). The historic value of the Acts, dating from the seventh century, is very doubtful, though defended by Tillemont (M^moires, IV, s. V. Genesius). The very existence of Genesius is called into que.stion, and he is held to be a Roman counterpart of St. Gelasius (or Gelasinus) of Hierapo- lis (d. 297). He was venerated, however, at Rome in the fourth century; a church was built in his honour very early, and was repaired and beautified by Greg- ory HI in 741.

Leclercq, Les Martyrs, II, 428; Anal. BoUand., XVIII, 186.

(2) Genesius op Arles, a notary martyred under Maximianus in 303 or 308. Feast, 25 Aug. He is hon- oured as patron of notaries, and invoked against chil- blains and scurf. The Acts (Acta SS., Aug., V, 123, and Ruinart, 559), attributed to St. PaulLnus of Nola, state; Genesius, native of Aries, at first a soldier, be- came known for his proficiency in writing, and was made secretary to the magistrate of Aries. While performing the duties of his office the decree of perse- cution agamst the Christians was read in his presence. Outraged in his ideas of justice, the young catechumen cast his tablets at the feet of the magistrate and fled. He was captured and executed, and thus received baptism in his own blood. His veneration must be very old, as his name is found in the ancient martyrology ascribed to St. Jerome. A church and altar dedicated to him at Aries were known in the fourth century.

(3) Genesius, twenty-first Bishop of Clermont, d. 662. Feast, 3 June. The legend, which is of a rather late date (Acta SS., June, I, 315), says that he was descended from a senatorial family of Auvergne. Having received a liberal education he renounced his worldly prospects for the service of the Church, be- came archdeacon of Clermont under Bishop Proculus, and succeeded him in the episcopacy in 656. He la- boured earnestly for the maintenance of Christian morality, and founded a hospital at Clermont and also the Abbey of Manlieu. After five years, fearing for his own soul, he left Clermont secretly and went to Rome in the garb of a pilgrim. The bereaved flock sent a deputation to the Holy See. Genesius was found and induced to return. He then built a con-

vent at Chantoin. He was buried in the church which he had built at Clermont in honour of St. Symphorian, and which later took his own name. In the life of St. Pri.x (Praejectus), Genesius is mentioned as one of the protectors of his childhood.

Duchesne, Pastes episcopaux (Paris, 1907), II, 37; Gallia Chr., II, 245.

(4) Genesius, Count of Clermont, d. 725. Feast, 5 June. According to the lessons of the Breviary of the Chapter of Camaleria (Acta SS., June, I, 497), he was of noble birth ; his father's name is given as Audastrius, and his mother's as TranquUla. Even in his youth he is said to have wrought miracles — to have given sight to the blind and cured the lame. He built and richly endowed several churches and religious houses. He was a friend of St. Bonitus, Bishop of Clermont, and of St. Meneleus, Abbot of Menat. He was buried at Combronde by St. Savinian, successor of Meneleus.

(5) Genesius (or Genestu.s), thirty-seventh Arch- bishop of Lyons, d. 679. Feast, 1 November. He was a native of France, not of Arabia or Armenia as is sometimes stated, and became a religious and abbot (not of Fontenelle, but) attached to the court and camp of Clovis II, where he acted as chief almoner to the queen, St. Bathildis. He succeeded St. Chamond (Annemundus) in the See of Lyons, and was conse- crated in 657 or 658. His name is found for the first time as bishop in a signature of 6 Sept., 664, attached to a charter drawn up by Bertefred, Bishop of Amiens, for the Abbey of Corbie. On 26 June, 667, he sub- scribed another charter framed by Drauscius, Bishop of Soissons, for a convent of the Blessed Virgin founded by Ebroin, mayor of the palace, and his wife Leutrude. In the conflict between Ebroin and St. Leger (Leodegarius), Bishop of Autun, Genesius (675- 76) took the part of the bishop and was in consequence attacked by an armed band sent by Ebroin to expel him from Lyons; but Genesius collected a force and successfully defended his city. In September, 677, he assisted at an assembly held at Maslay. He was succeeded at Lyons by Landebertus. His body re- mained in the church of St. Nicetius till the beginning of the fourteenth century, when it was transferred to Chelles.

GalliaChrist., IV, 47; Duchesne, Pastes episcoj}aux,ll, 170; and for each of the saints. Smith and Wacb, Diet, of Christ. Biog. (London, 1880), II, 627-28.

Francis Mershman.

Geneva. See Lausanne and Geneva, Diocese op.

Genevieve, Saint, patroness of Paris, b. at Nan- terre, c. 419 or 422 ; d. at Paris, 512. Her feast is kept on 3 January. She was the daughter of Severus and Gerontia; popular tradition represents her parents as poor peasants, though it seems more likely that they were wealthy and respectable townspeople. In 429 St. Germain of Auxerre and St. Lupus of Troyes were sent across from Gaul to Britain to combat Pelagianism. On their way they stopped at Nan- terre, a small village about eight miles from Paris. The inhabitants flocked out to welcome them, and St. Germain preached to the assembled multitude. It chanced that the pious demeanour and thoughtfulness of a young girl among his hearers attracted his atten- tion. After the sermon he caused the child to be brought to him, spoke to her with interest, and en- couraged her to persevere in the path of virtue. Learn- ing that she was anxious to devote herself to the service of God, he interviewed her parents, and fore- told them that their child would lead a life of sanctity and by her example and instruction bring many vir- gins to consecrate themselves to God. Before parting next morning he saw her again, and on her renewing her consecration he blessed her and gave her a medal engraved with a cross, telling her to keep it in remem- brance of her dedication to Christ. He exhorted her likewise to be content with the medal, and wear it