Fulgentius of Ruspe - Bishop of Ruspe

Bishop of Ruspe

Fulgentius was ultimately persuaded to take the post of bishop of Ruspe in Tunisia. He made a strong impression on the people of his new diocese with his obvious virtues, but was soon banished to Sardinia with some sixty other bishops who did not hold the Arian position. Pope Symmachus knew of their plight and sent them annual provisions of food and money.

While in Sardinia, Fulgentius turned a house in Cagliari into a monastery, and determined to write a number of works to help instruct the Christians of Africa. In 515, he returned to Africa, having been summoned there by Thrasamund for a public debate with his Arian replacements. His book An Answer to Ten Objections is supposed to have been collected from the answers he had made to their objections to the Chalcedonian position. Thrasamund was impressed by Fulgentius' knowledge and learning. Not wanting these very effective statements to fall in the hands of his Arian subjects, possibly creating social discord, he ordered that all Fulgentius' future statements be delivered only orally. Fulgentius responded with a rebuttal of the Arian position, now known as the Three Books to King Thrasamund. Thrasamund's respect for Fulgentius grew, leading him to allow Fulgentius to stay in Carthage, but then renewed complaints from the local Arian clergy caused him to banish Fulgentius back to Sardinia in 520. In 523, following the death of Thrasamund and the accession of his Chalcedonian son Hilderic, Fulgentius was allowed to return to Ruspe and try to convert the populace to the Chalcedonian position. He worked to reform many of the abuses which had infiltrated his old diocese in his absence. The power and effectiveness of his preaching was so profound that his archbishop, Boniface of Carthage, wept openly every time he heard Fulgentius preach, and publicly thanked God for giving such a great preacher to his church.

Later, Fulgentius retired to a monastery on the island of Circinia, but was recalled to Ruspe, and served there until his death on 1 January, 533.