St. Medardus

St. Medardus

Bishop of Noyon, b. at Salency (Oise) about 456; d. in his episcopal city 8 June, about 545. His father, Nectardus, was of Frankish origin, while his mother, named Protagia, was Gallo-Roman. It is believed that St. Gildardus, Bishop of Rouen, was his brother. His youth was entirely consecrated to the practise of Christian virtues and to the study of sacred and profane letters. He often accompanied his father on business to Vermand and to Tournai, and frequented the schools, carefully avoiding all worldly dissipation. His exemplary piety and his knowledge, considerable for that time, decided the Bishop of Vermand (d. 530) to confer on him Holy Orders, and caused him to be chosen as his successor. Forced, in spite of his objections, to accept this heavy charge, he devoted himself zealously to his new duties, and to accomplish them in greater security, since Vermand and the northern part of France in general were then generally troubled by wars and exposed to the incursions of the barbarians, he removed his episcopal see in 531 from Vermand, a little city without defence, to Noyon, the strongest place in that region. The year following, St. Eleutherius, Bishop of Tournai, having died, St. 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. This union of the two dioceses lasted until 1146, when they were again separated. Clotaire, who had paid him a last visit at Noyon, had his body transferred to the royal manor of Crouy at the gates of the city of Soissons. Over the tomb of St. Medardus was erected the celebrated Benedictine abbey which bears his name. St. Medardus was one of the most honoured bishops of his time, his memory has always been popularly venerated in the north of France, and he soon became the hero of numerous legends. The Church celebrates his feast on 8 June.

Baronius, Ann. (1957), 527, 80; 564, 31-4; Bécu, Dissert. sur quelques dates et quelques faits contestés de la vie de St. Médard in Com. Arch. de Noyon, compt. rend. et mém., II (1867), 307-20; Chiffletius in Acta SS., June, II, 95-105; Corblet, Notice historique sur le culte de St. Médard in Bull. de la Soc. des ant. de Picardie (Amiens, 1856); Corblet, Hagiogr. du diocèse d'Amiens, IV (1874), 524-31; Guénebault in Rev. archéol., XIII (Paris, 1857), 557-62; Lefébure, Saint Médard (Paris, 1864); Maitre, Le culte de S. Médard dans le diocèse de Nantes in Ann. de Bretagne (1900), XV, 292-8; Surius, De vit. SS., III (Venice, 1551), 177-181.

LÉON CLUGNET