Lupus, bishop of Troyes, the contemporary and friend of Germanus, saved his city from impending destruction, by his powerful influence over the barbarous spoiler who spread terror everywhere before him -- Attila, king of the Huns, who invaded Gaul with his lawless hordes in 451. The wild warrior was penetrated with such veneration for him, that he attributed a beneficial influence to his presence, took him with him on his return, and left him with an entreaty for his prayers. A letter from Lupus could move a prince of the Alemanni to release captives without ransom. He spent his revenue in maintaining the poor, and especially in ransoming captives. He collected the refugees from various places during Attila's devastations, and established them as a colony in a secure mountain district, residing amongst them for a time himself.

Julianus, a contemporary, thus describes a pious bishop of those times: -- "By a holy life and holy preaching, he converts many to God. He does nothing in a domineering way, but everything in humility. He places himself on a level with his inferiors by the efforts of holy love. He seeks, in his life and preaching, not his own glory, but Christ's. All the honour which is paid him for his priestly life and teaching, he constantly refers to God. He consoles the downcast, he feeds the poor, he clothes the naked, he ransoms the captive. He shows the erring the way of salvation; he announces to the despairing the hope of pardon. He urges on those that are already running; he diffuses light amongst the wandering. Such a man is a minister of the Word, he understands the voice of God, and is to others an oracle of the Holy Ghost." Such a man was --