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| St. Medard, Pray for us ! |
⛪ Saint of the Day : June 8
⛪ Other Names : Medardus
⛪ Born :
c.456 at Salency, Picardy, France
⛪ Died :
• 8 June 545 at Noyon, France of natural causes
• Relics at the royal manor of Crouy at the gates of Soissons, France
• A Benedictine abbey was built over his tomb
⛪ Patronage :
• against bad weather • Against imprisonment, prisoners, captives • Against sterility
• Against toothache • Brewers • For good harvests • For good weather • For rain
• Mentally ill people • Peasants • 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
St. Medard was born around 456 in Salency, France. His father Nectard was a noble Frenchman, and his mother, Protogia, descended from a Roman family that settled in Gaul.
His mother instilled into St. Medard a very keen compassion for the poor.
His practice of Christian virtue was obvious as a young boy and his commitment to the poor was so evident that he had difficulty in walking by a poor man in the street and not giving him what he had, either his cloak or shoes, and one time even his horse.
When he looked after the cattle in his father’s grounds, as was common in France, he often deprived himself of his dinner to divide it among the needy.
St. Medard’s parents sent him to study Scripture with the bishop, who was very surprised with the young man’s rapid learning, piety, prayer, obedience and humility. To himself, though, he only saw laziness and imperfection.
He was ordained a priest in about 490 and was consecrated bishop of Vermand in 530. He moved the See of Vermand to Noyons a year later because it was a city better defended against invasion, the Huns and Vandals being the threats in that epoch.
Pope Hormisdas appointed St. Medard to the See of Tournai which he presided over along with that of Vermand, and had great success in converting the remaining pagans in the area to Christ.
King Clotaire, who always honored him as a living saint, heard that St. Medard was sick and went to Noyon to pay a visit, and to receive his blessing.
St. Medard died of an illness in 545 at the age of 89. The whole kingdom lamented his death as the loss of their common father and protector.
Prayer to St. Medard, Patron Against Bad Weather :
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.
Jesus My Lord, Saint Medard served as a bishop during very difficult times, and his long life of spiritual leadership created a tremendous impression on the people. Because of his patronage against bad weather, I ask him to intercede for me during the storms of my life as well as the storms in nature. Protect me and my home. And Lord, help the victims of hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and other natural disasters. Send in more helpers and multiply the supplies that are needed for their aid. You calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee; deliver us from the storms that are raging around us now. Saint Medard, pray for us. Amen.