St Deogratias

Deogratias (which means thanks be to God) was Bishop of Carthage. Before he became Bishop, the city had no Bishop for 14 years. Carthage had been taken over by Barbarians (people who wanted power) called Vandals who had kicked out the Bishop and all the Priests. Emperor Valentinian in Rome asked Genseric (the Vandals’ leader) if he would allow Carthage to have another Bishop and when he agreed, Deogratias became Bishop. Shortly after Deogratias becoming Bishop of Carthage, Genseric attacked Rome and captured many Roman families to become slaves in Africa. Family members were sold separately and mothers and fathers were separated from their children. When Bishop Deogratias heard about this he made a plan to help these people. He sold all the riches he could from the church and when the ship with the newly captured slaves stopped in Carthage Bishop Deogratias bought as many slaves as he could. He took care of the needs of all these people, buying food and clothing and places for them to stay. He even converted two Churches (Basilica Fausti and Novarum) into places for people to stay and a hospital to take care of them. He worked very hard to care for these people and tell them about God. He was only Bishop for three years when he died after working so hard to care for his people. After he died the Vandals would not allow Carthage to have another Bishop for 23 years.