Tournai was evangelized by S. Piatus, in 287. During its early history it had seen the blood of martyrs shed. The Vandals had taken possession of it in 407; then it had become the principal seat of the Salic Franks. In the reign of Childeric, there lived in this city a rich and noble citizen, named Serenus, with his wife, Blanda. They had been converted from heathenism, and they honoured the religion they had adopted by their virtues, and especially by their abundant charity to the poor and infirm. In 456, they became parents of a son, whom they named Eleutherius. All their care tended towards educating him in every science befitting his condition. The young Eleutherius so thoroughly responded to their hopes, that S. Medard, who frequented along with him the school of S. Quentin, foretold that his friend would one day become a bishop. About the year 484, whilst Clovis was marching upon Soissons, the governor of Tournai, an inveterate heathen, profited by his absence, to banish from the city all who bore the name of Christians, or to seize on their goods. Serenus and Blanda were included in the number of exiles. They took their son with them, and found a place of refuge at a distance of about six miles from Tournai, where they built a church, in honour of S. Peter. A number of Christians settled on the same spot, and many heathen, converted by Serenus, helped to swell the colony, which was called Blandinium.[59] The number was now so great that they asked for, and obtained, a bishop, Theodore by name, who died immediately after his ordination. The faithful assembled at Blandinium, charmed by the virtues of Eleutherius, elected him to succeed Theodore, and sent him to Rome. The Pope approved of the choice, and the new pastor was consecrated in the year 487, at the age of thirty. Now it fell out that the daughter of the governor of Tournai was passionately in love with the young and handsome Eleutherius, and she resolved to make the attempt to withdraw him from the ministry of God, that he might serve the world, reposing in her love, and the favour of her father. She found him engaged in prayer, but, regardless of what he was about, she arrested his attention, and declared to him her passion. He started to his feet, and she held him by the mantle. Then, like another Joseph, he cast his mantle from him, and fled from her presence. The unfortunate girl, heart-broken, sank upon the ground, breathless and motionless. When she had been buried, Eleutherius returned, and now, touched at her misfortune, as much as he had been irritated at her offence, he summoned the father, and promised to restore to him his daughter, if he would embrace Christianity. The governor readily consented. Then Eleutherius celebrated the holy sacrifice, and followed by all his clergy and the faithful, went to the tomb, and struck it with his pastoral staff. But God revealed to the bishop that the promise of the father was made without purpose of observing it.