Saint Medardus or St Medard (French: Médard or Méard)was the Bishop of Vermandois who removed the seat of the diocese to Noyon. Saint 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 in Cologne and extending to western Germany, and he became the hero of numerous legends.
As a child, St Medardus was said to have once been sheltered from rain by an eagle 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. The weather legend concerning St Medardus is similar to Saint Swithun 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).
His cultus is mentioned by both Saint Venantius Fortunatus and Saint Gregory of Tours. His feast day is celebrated on June 8. It is believed that, as with Saint Swithun, whatever the weather on his feast day, it will continue for the forty days following, unless the weather changes on the feast of St Barnabas (11 June).
He was often depicted laughing, with his mouth wide open, therefore he was invoked against toothache. 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. The coat of arms of the Dutch municipality of Wessem and German municipality of Lüdenscheid features St. Medardus.
The parish church of St Medardus and St Gildardus Church, Little Bytham in Lincolnshire, England is jointly dedicated to him and Saint Gildard.
Patron of:
The weather
Vineyards
Brewers
Captives
Prisoners
Peasants
Mentally ill
And is invoked against toothache
St. Medartus, pray for us, amen+∼Saint Medard
Also known as
Medardus
Medard of Noyon
Memorial
8 June
Profile
Son of Nectardus, a Frankish noble, and Protagia, Gallo-Roman nobility. Brother of Saint Gildardus, Bishop of Rouen, France. Pious youth and excellent student, educated at Saint-Quentin. Often accompanied his father on business to Vermand and to Tournai, and frequented the schools there. Ordained at age 33.
Reluctant bishop of Vermand in 530; in 531, he moved his see to Noyon, which was further from border clashes. Bishop of Tournai in 532; the union of the two dioceses lasted until 1146. Gave the veil to Queen Saint Radegund. Medardus was one of the most honoured bishops of his time, his memory has always been venerated in northern France, and he soon became the hero of numerous legends.
Each year on his feast at Rosiere, the young girl who has been judged the most exemplary in the district is escorted by 12 boys and 12 girls to the church, where she is crowned with roses and given a gift of money. This is a continuation of a yearly stipend or "scholarship" he apparently instituted when bishop.
Legend says that when he was a child, Medard was once sheltered from the rain by a hovering eagle. This is his most common depiction in art, and led to his patronage of good weather, against bad weather, for people who work the fields, etc. Legend has it that if it rains on his feast day, the next 40 days will be wet; if the weather is good, the next 40 will be fine as well. He was also depicted as laughing aloud with his mouth wide open; this led to his patronage against toothache.
Born
c.456 at Salency, Picardy, France
Died
8 June 545 at Noyon, France
relics at the royal manor of Crouy at the gates of Soissons; Benedictine abbey built over his tomb
Canonized
Pre-Congregation
Patronage
against bad weather
against imprisonment
against sterility
against toothache
brewers
captives
for good harvests
for good weather
for rain
imprisoned people
mentally ill people
peasants
prisoners
vineyards
Representation
being sheltered from rain by an eagle or other large bird
holding a citadel
laughing aloud with his mouth wide open
leaving footprints in stone
with two horses at his feet
As a child, St Medardus was said to have once been sheltered from rain by an eagle 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. The weather legend concerning St Medardus is similar to Saint Swithun 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).
His cultus is mentioned by both Saint Venantius Fortunatus and Saint Gregory of Tours. His feast day is celebrated on June 8. It is believed that, as with Saint Swithun, whatever the weather on his feast day, it will continue for the forty days following, unless the weather changes on the feast of St Barnabas (11 June).
He was often depicted laughing, with his mouth wide open, therefore he was invoked against toothache. 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. The coat of arms of the Dutch municipality of Wessem and German municipality of Lüdenscheid features St. Medardus.
The parish church of St Medardus and St Gildardus Church, Little Bytham in Lincolnshire, England is jointly dedicated to him and Saint Gildard.
Patron of:
The weather
Vineyards
Brewers
Captives
Prisoners
Peasants
Mentally ill
And is invoked against toothache
St. Medartus, pray for us, amen+∼Saint Medard
Also known as
Medardus
Medard of Noyon
Memorial
8 June
Profile
Son of Nectardus, a Frankish noble, and Protagia, Gallo-Roman nobility. Brother of Saint Gildardus, Bishop of Rouen, France. Pious youth and excellent student, educated at Saint-Quentin. Often accompanied his father on business to Vermand and to Tournai, and frequented the schools there. Ordained at age 33.
Reluctant bishop of Vermand in 530; in 531, he moved his see to Noyon, which was further from border clashes. Bishop of Tournai in 532; the union of the two dioceses lasted until 1146. Gave the veil to Queen Saint Radegund. Medardus was one of the most honoured bishops of his time, his memory has always been venerated in northern France, and he soon became the hero of numerous legends.
Each year on his feast at Rosiere, the young girl who has been judged the most exemplary in the district is escorted by 12 boys and 12 girls to the church, where she is crowned with roses and given a gift of money. This is a continuation of a yearly stipend or "scholarship" he apparently instituted when bishop.
Legend says that when he was a child, Medard was once sheltered from the rain by a hovering eagle. This is his most common depiction in art, and led to his patronage of good weather, against bad weather, for people who work the fields, etc. Legend has it that if it rains on his feast day, the next 40 days will be wet; if the weather is good, the next 40 will be fine as well. He was also depicted as laughing aloud with his mouth wide open; this led to his patronage against toothache.
Born
c.456 at Salency, Picardy, France
Died
8 June 545 at Noyon, France
relics at the royal manor of Crouy at the gates of Soissons; Benedictine abbey built over his tomb
Canonized
Pre-Congregation
Patronage
against bad weather
against imprisonment
against sterility
against toothache
brewers
captives
for good harvests
for good weather
for rain
imprisoned people
mentally ill people
peasants
prisoners
vineyards
Representation
being sheltered from rain by an eagle or other large bird
holding a citadel
laughing aloud with his mouth wide open
leaving footprints in stone
with two horses at his feet
Saint Medardus or St Medard (French: Médard or Méard)was the Bishop of Vermandois who removed the seat of the diocese to Noyon. Saint 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 in Cologne and extending to western Germany, and he became the hero of numerous legends.
As a child, St Medardus was said to have once been sheltered from rain by an eagle 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. The weather legend concerning St Medardus is similar to Saint Swithun 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).
His cultus is mentioned by both Saint Venantius Fortunatus and Saint Gregory of Tours. His feast day is celebrated on June 8. It is believed that, as with Saint Swithun, whatever the weather on his feast day, it will continue for the forty days following, unless the weather changes on the feast of St Barnabas (11 June).
He was often depicted laughing, with his mouth wide open, therefore he was invoked against toothache. 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. The coat of arms of the Dutch municipality of Wessem and German municipality of Lüdenscheid features St. Medardus.
The parish church of St Medardus and St Gildardus Church, Little Bytham in Lincolnshire, England is jointly dedicated to him and Saint Gildard.
Patron of:
The weather
Vineyards
Brewers
Captives
Prisoners
Peasants
Mentally ill
And is invoked against toothache
St. Medartus, pray for us, amen+∼Saint Medard
Also known as
Medardus
Medard of Noyon
Memorial
8 June
Profile
Son of Nectardus, a Frankish noble, and Protagia, Gallo-Roman nobility. Brother of Saint Gildardus, Bishop of Rouen, France. Pious youth and excellent student, educated at Saint-Quentin. Often accompanied his father on business to Vermand and to Tournai, and frequented the schools there. Ordained at age 33.
Reluctant bishop of Vermand in 530; in 531, he moved his see to Noyon, which was further from border clashes. Bishop of Tournai in 532; the union of the two dioceses lasted until 1146. Gave the veil to Queen Saint Radegund. Medardus was one of the most honoured bishops of his time, his memory has always been venerated in northern France, and he soon became the hero of numerous legends.
Each year on his feast at Rosiere, the young girl who has been judged the most exemplary in the district is escorted by 12 boys and 12 girls to the church, where she is crowned with roses and given a gift of money. This is a continuation of a yearly stipend or "scholarship" he apparently instituted when bishop.
Legend says that when he was a child, Medard was once sheltered from the rain by a hovering eagle. This is his most common depiction in art, and led to his patronage of good weather, against bad weather, for people who work the fields, etc. Legend has it that if it rains on his feast day, the next 40 days will be wet; if the weather is good, the next 40 will be fine as well. He was also depicted as laughing aloud with his mouth wide open; this led to his patronage against toothache.
Born
c.456 at Salency, Picardy, France
Died
8 June 545 at Noyon, France
relics at the royal manor of Crouy at the gates of Soissons; Benedictine abbey built over his tomb
Canonized
Pre-Congregation
Patronage
against bad weather
against imprisonment
against sterility
against toothache
brewers
captives
for good harvests
for good weather
for rain
imprisoned people
mentally ill people
peasants
prisoners
vineyards
Representation
being sheltered from rain by an eagle or other large bird
holding a citadel
laughing aloud with his mouth wide open
leaving footprints in stone
with two horses at his feet
As a child, St Medardus was said to have once been sheltered from rain by an eagle 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. The weather legend concerning St Medardus is similar to Saint Swithun 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).
His cultus is mentioned by both Saint Venantius Fortunatus and Saint Gregory of Tours. His feast day is celebrated on June 8. It is believed that, as with Saint Swithun, whatever the weather on his feast day, it will continue for the forty days following, unless the weather changes on the feast of St Barnabas (11 June).
He was often depicted laughing, with his mouth wide open, therefore he was invoked against toothache. 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. The coat of arms of the Dutch municipality of Wessem and German municipality of Lüdenscheid features St. Medardus.
The parish church of St Medardus and St Gildardus Church, Little Bytham in Lincolnshire, England is jointly dedicated to him and Saint Gildard.
Patron of:
The weather
Vineyards
Brewers
Captives
Prisoners
Peasants
Mentally ill
And is invoked against toothache
St. Medartus, pray for us, amen+∼Saint Medard
Also known as
Medardus
Medard of Noyon
Memorial
8 June
Profile
Son of Nectardus, a Frankish noble, and Protagia, Gallo-Roman nobility. Brother of Saint Gildardus, Bishop of Rouen, France. Pious youth and excellent student, educated at Saint-Quentin. Often accompanied his father on business to Vermand and to Tournai, and frequented the schools there. Ordained at age 33.
Reluctant bishop of Vermand in 530; in 531, he moved his see to Noyon, which was further from border clashes. Bishop of Tournai in 532; the union of the two dioceses lasted until 1146. Gave the veil to Queen Saint Radegund. Medardus was one of the most honoured bishops of his time, his memory has always been venerated in northern France, and he soon became the hero of numerous legends.
Each year on his feast at Rosiere, the young girl who has been judged the most exemplary in the district is escorted by 12 boys and 12 girls to the church, where she is crowned with roses and given a gift of money. This is a continuation of a yearly stipend or "scholarship" he apparently instituted when bishop.
Legend says that when he was a child, Medard was once sheltered from the rain by a hovering eagle. This is his most common depiction in art, and led to his patronage of good weather, against bad weather, for people who work the fields, etc. Legend has it that if it rains on his feast day, the next 40 days will be wet; if the weather is good, the next 40 will be fine as well. He was also depicted as laughing aloud with his mouth wide open; this led to his patronage against toothache.
Born
c.456 at Salency, Picardy, France
Died
8 June 545 at Noyon, France
relics at the royal manor of Crouy at the gates of Soissons; Benedictine abbey built over his tomb
Canonized
Pre-Congregation
Patronage
against bad weather
against imprisonment
against sterility
against toothache
brewers
captives
for good harvests
for good weather
for rain
imprisoned people
mentally ill people
peasants
prisoners
vineyards
Representation
being sheltered from rain by an eagle or other large bird
holding a citadel
laughing aloud with his mouth wide open
leaving footprints in stone
with two horses at his feet
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