Bishop Lupus of Troyes and the Meeting with Attila

One of the most famous hagiographic accounts involves Bishop Lupus of Troyes, who is said to have personally confronted Attila. According to legend, Lupus persuades Attila to spare the city, either through negotiation or divine intervention. Some versions claim that Attila took Lupus hostage, believing the bishop’s presence would protect him from divine retribution.

The Religious and Cultural Legacy of Attila’s Invasion

While these accounts contain miraculous embellishments, they offer valuable insights into how Christian communities perceived the Hunnic invasion. Many of these stories emphasize the power of faith, divine protection, and the role of bishops as both spiritual and civic leaders. Whether or not Attila’s forces physically attacked every city mentioned in these vitae, their widespread presence in hagiographic literature attests to the trauma left by the invasion and the enduring legacy of resistance—both physical and spiritual—in the memory of the late Roman world