BENIGNUS, Saint, Martyr. — Venerated at Dijon; until the beginning of the 6th century he was known only to local peasants; even Bishop Gregory of Langres (506–539) had forbidden his cult, considering his sepulchre as pagan. But a revelation disclosed the truth, and the cult of B. became established; a basilica was erected over the restored crypt, around which there later arose the famous abbey of St B. Subsequently there appeared the *Passio* of the martyr, which, as is now proven, was the work of a common forger who claims that the priest B. was sent to Gaul by St Polycarp of Smyrna together with the priest Andochius and the deacon Thyrsus. It is possible that B. suffered martyrdom under Aurelian. He is commemorated on 10 November in the *Martyrologium Hieronymianum* and the Roman Martyrology.
BENIGNO, SANTO, MARTIRE
BIBL.: S. Gregory of Tours, *De gloria Martyrum*, 50; BHL, 1153–64; *Acta SS. Novembris*, I, Brussels 1887, pp. 134–99; L. Duchesne, *Fastes épiscopaux de l’ancienne Gaule*, 2nd ed., I, Paris 1907, pp. 51–62; H. Quentin, *Les Martyrologes historiques du Moyen âge*, ibid. 1908, pp. 60–62. Agostino Amore