Saint Ildefonsus ou Ildephonsus (plus rarement Ildephoses ou Ildefonse ; né vers 607, décédé le 23 January 667) était un érudit et théologien qui a été évêque de Tolède pendant la dernière décennie de sa vie.
Nephew of Eugene of Toledo, he was born in the capital of present-day Castile-La Mancha, under the reign of Witteric, into a prominent Visigoth family. Civil wars ravaged the Visigoth kingdom for most of its life. From childhood, he was studied in Seville with Saint Isidore, then he joined the Abbey of Saint-Cosme-et-Saint-Damien d'Agali near Toledo.
In 633 he was consecrated deacon, became abbot in 650, and finally bishop in 657. As abbot, he founded a convent of nuns with the property he had acquired, and he participated in the VIII and IX councils of Toledo in 653 and 655. At first reluctant to become a bishop, he devoted himself to his office with a recognized and admired discipline, defending and transmitting the precepts of Christianity.
Among his works, there are: "De cognitione baptismi", and the "Libellum de Virginitate Sanctae Mariae contra tres infideles", where he defends the Catholic doctrine of the perpetual virginity of the Virgin Mary, before, during, and after the birth of the Christ.
Parmi ses expériences mystiques, on compte plusieurs visions, notamment de la Vierge Marie entourée de vierges saintes, entonnant des hymnes, et celle de sainte Léocadie, le jour de sa fête, le 9 December. C’est ainsi que S. Ildefonse put localiser les reliques de cette martyre, en indiquant l’endroit exact où ses restes mortels avaient été inhumés.
Here is the text of our social networks:
Aujourd’hui, les espagnols célèbrent Saint Ildefonsus. Saint wisigothe, il écrit et défend la thèse de la virginité perpétuelle de Marie qui est toujours débattue. #mythologie #mythe #legend #23janvier #calendrier #ildefonsus #viergemarie
EN 
FR 
ES