Saint Medardus | |
|---|---|
 Statue of Saint Medardus, Saint Médard d'Eyrans | |
| Bishop and Confessor | |
| Born | 456 Salency,Oise,Picardy,France |
| Died | June 8, 545[1] Noyon,Oise,Picardy,France |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church |
| Majorshrine | Abbey of Saint-Médard,Soissons,France |
| Feast | June 8 |
| Attributes | Episcopal garments |
| Patronage | the weather; invoked against toothache |
 | You can helpexpand this article with text translated fromthe corresponding article in French. (August 2023)Click [show] for important translation instructions.
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Medardus orMedard (French:Médard orMéard) (ca. 456–545) was theBishop of Noyon. He moved the seat of the diocese fromVermand to Noviomagus Veromanduorum (modernNoyon) in northern France. Medardus was one of the most honored bishops of his time, often depicted laughing, with his mouth wide open, and therefore he was invoked againsttoothache.
Medardus was born around 456 atSalency,Oise, inPicardy. His father, Nectaridus, was a noble ofFrankish origin, while his mother Protagia wasGallo-Roman.[2] TheRoman Martyrology includes the fanciful tale thatGildard,Bishop of Rouen, was his brother, '"born on the same day, consecrated bishops on the same day, and on the same day withdrawn from this life." However, there is no mention of Gildard in the earliest lives of Medardus, and Gildard attended theFirst Council of Orléans in 511, while Medardus was not consecrated until 530.[3]
Apious fiction links his childhood to his future bishoprics: "He often accompanied his father on business toVermand and Tornacum (modernTournai), where he frequented the schools, carefully avoiding all worldly dissipation".[2]
Medardus lived during the immediate aftermath of thefall of the Western Roman Empire. The lastWestern Roman emperor was deposed in 476. During 481–511, theSalian Frankish kingClovis I conquered and united severalGermanic successor states to form the Kingdom ofFrancia, the predecessor of modern France and Germany.
St. Medardus was ordained at the age of 33. His piety and knowledge, considerable for that time, caused Bishop Alomer of Vermand to confer on him Holy Orders. At the death of Alomer in 530, Medardus was chosen to succeed him as bishop of Vermand. Despite his objections, but the people insisted, so he accepted the responsibilities.[4]
is held to have removed the seat of his bishopric from Vermand, a little city with no defences, to Noviomagus Veromanduorum (modernNoyon), the strongest place in that region ofNeustria, in 531.[2] That yearClotaire marched against theThuringii with his brotherTheuderic I, but struggles with theBurgundians also troubled Merovingian Neustria. Medardus was a councillor to Clotaire, theMerovingian king at Noviodunum (modernSoissons).
It is also claimed that in 532, at the death ofEleutherius,bishop of Tornacum, Medardus was invited to assume the direction of that diocese also. He refused at first, but being urged by Clotaire himself, he at last accepted. The union of the two dioceses of Noviomagus/Noyon and Tornacum/Tournai lasted until 1146, when they were again separated.[2] Tornacum was a center for evangelizing the paganFlemings. There, Medardus acceptedRadegund of Thuringia as adeaconess andnun, until she moved to her own foundation atSaix.
King Clotaire, who had paid Medardus a last visit at Noviomagus, where the bishop died, had his body transferred to his own manor of Croviacum (modernCrouy),[5] at the gates of the royal city of Noviodunum; there over his tomb was erected the celebratedBenedictine abbey which bears his name, theAbbey of Saint-Médard. The selection of the site was given authenticity through a familiartrope ofhagiography:
Medardus was one of the most honored bishops of his time. His memory has always been popularly venerated, first in the north of France, then inCologne and extending to westernGermany,[6] and he became the hero of numerous legends. Hiscultus is mentioned by bothVenantius Fortunatus andGregory of Tours.[7] Hisfeast day is celebrated on June 8. It is believed that, as withSwithun, whatever the weather on his feast day, it will continue for the forty days following, unless the weather changes on the feast ofSaint Barnabas (11 June).[8]
He was often depicted laughing, with his mouth wide open, therefore he was invoked againsttoothache. He is also invoked against bad weather (but also for rain), sterility and imprisonment. He is patron saint of vineyards, brewers, captives and prisoners, the mentally ill, and peasants.[9] The coat of arms of the Dutch municipality ofWessem and that of the German municipality ofLüdenscheid feature St. Medardus.[10]
The parish church ofSt. Medardus and St. Gildardus inLincolnshire,England, is jointly dedicated to him andSaint Gildard.
As a child, Medardus was said to have once been sheltered from rain by aneagle which hovered over him. This is how he was most commonly depicted, and is why he is associated with weather, good or bad, and why he is held to protect those who work in the open air.[11]The weather legend concerning Medardus is similar toSwithun in England. The French rhyme is:Quand il pleut à la Saint-Médard, il pleut quarante jours plus tard (If it rains on St Medardus' Day, it rains for forty days more).[12] In Czech, the same weather lore is also found, "Medardovˇe kápˇe, 40 dní kape."[13]
Every year atSalency (Medardus' birthplace) nearNoyon, France (and certain other villages) "the most virtuous young girl of the year" of the commune is elected theRosière. The custom is said to have been started by Medardus himself, and the firstRosière is said to have been his sister, Médrine.[9][8] Clothed in a long white dress, theRosière is escorted toMass by 12 young girls dressed in white and 12 young boys. Aftervespers, accompanied by two godmothers, she is crowned with a crown of 12roses, decorated with a blue ribbon and a silver ring, at the chapel of St Médard. Then she goes to receive a bouquet of roses from the mayor, who also presents her with two arrows, two tennis balls and a whistle. She blows the whistle three times and throws nuts to the assembled crowd. The procession is followed by a fair with rides, stalls and fireworks.[14]
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "St. Medardus".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
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