Subj : June 8th - St. Medard, Bishop of Vermand To : All From : rich Date : Fri Jun 07 2019 08:39:39 From: rich June 8th - St. Medard, Bishop of Vermand ST. MEDARD is a favourite with the peasants of northern France, and his cultus goes back to his death in the 6th century; it has been enhanced by the legends that have grown up round his name, as well as by his veneration as the patron of the corn harvest and the vintage. He was born at Salency in Picardy, perhaps about the year 470, his father being a Frankish nobleman and his mother a Gallo-Roman. They sent their son to be educated first at the place now called Saint-Quentin and for some time he remained a layman, but he was ordained priest when he was 33. Medard's powers as a preacher and missionary were such that on the death of Bishop Alomer he was chosen to succeed him. The consecration is stated, but on no reliable authority, to have been carried out by St. Remigius of Rheims, who was then extremely old. St. Medard himself appears to have been well advanced in years, but his energy was that of a man in the prime of life; and though his diocese was very large, he went wherever he saw an opportunity of furthering the glory of God and getting rid of idolatry. The rest of St. Medard's story is probably pure invention. Accordin= g to it he moved his see from Saint-Quentin to Noyon in consequence of a raid by Huns and Vandals, and eventually was given charge of the diocese of Tournai as well. And it is alleged that for more than 500 years from that time Noyon and Tournai remained united under one bishop. One thing at least is historical: he gave the veil to Queen St. Radegund and blessed her as a deaconess, in the circumstances related herein under date August 13. St. Medard's death, the exact date of which is uncertain, was lamented by all, for he was looked on as a true father in God; we know from Fortunatus and from St. Gregory of Tours that his feast was celebrated in their days with great solemnity. =C2 =C2 Popular tradition in the saint's native town of Salen= cy attributes to him the institution of the old local observance of the Rosi=C3=A8re. Annually on the feast of St. Medard 12 boys and 12 girls escort the maiden who has been judged to be the most exemplary in the district to the church, where she is crowned with roses and rewarded with a small gift of money. St. Medard sometimes is depicted with a spread eagle above his head, in allusion to the tradition that once in his childhood an eagle extended its wings over his head to shelter him from the rain. This story may account for his supposed connection with the weather. The peasants say that if it rains on St. Medard's feas= t the 40 ensuing days will be wet, and that if, on the other hand, the 8th of June is fine, a spell of 40 fine days is to be expected, just like our English St. Swithun. Occasionally the saint is represented with St. Gildard, who is erroneously described as his twin brother, and who as such is commemorated with him in the Roman Martyrology. St. Medard for some reason was sometimes depicted in the Middle Ages laughing inanely with his mouth wide open (=E2=80=9Cle ris de St. Medard=E2= =80=9D), and he was invoked to cure the toothache. Whether his association with dental troubles was the consequence or the cause of this representation, it is hard to say. To judge by the number of entries, nn. 5863 to 5874, in BHL., one would be disposed to think that materials for a life of St. Medard were abundant. But most of these sources are very unsatisfactory. The poem of Venantius Fortunatus, though he was a friend of St. Radegund and himself of contemporary date, tells us but little it is largely taken up with recounting some rather trivial and improbable miracles. The early prose life (c. An. 6oo), at one time also attributed to Venantius, is not by him, but it seems reliable. The best text of this is that edited by Bruno Krusch in MGH., Auctores Antiquissimi, vol. iv, part ii, pp. 67-73.... Saint Quote: Inveterate wickedness requires long practice of the virtues; for an engrained habit is not easily uprooted. --St. Thalassios the Libyan Bible Quote: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.=C2 =C2 (Romans 6:23) <><><><> DEAR JESUS, help me to spread Thy fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with Thy spirit and love. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may only be a radiance of Thine. Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Thy presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but only Jesus. Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as you shine, so to shine as to be a light to others. --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4) .