BENIGNO, saint, martyr. - Venerated at Digione; until the beginning of the 6th century he was known only to local peasants; Bishop Gregorio di Langres himself (506–39) had forbidden his cult, considering his tomb pagan. But a revelation made the truth known, and the cult of B. became established; a basilica was erected over the restored crypt, around which the famous abbey of S. B. later arose. Subsequently the martyr’s Passio appeared, composed, as has now been proved, by a common forger who claims that the priest B. was sent to Gaul by S. Policarpo di Smirne together with the priest Andochio and the deacon Tirso. It may be that B. suffered martyrdom under Aureliano. He is commemorated on 1 Nov. by the Hieronymian and Roman Martyrologies.
BIBL.: S. Gregorio di Tours, De gloria Martyrum, 50; BHL. 1153-64; Acta SS. Novembris, I, Bruxelles 1887, pp. 134-99; L. Duchesne, Fastes Episcopaux de l'ancienne Gaule, 2nd ed., I, Parigi 1907, pp. 51-62; H. Quentin, Les Martirologes historiques du Moyen âge, there 1908, pp. 60-62. Agostino Amore