⛪ Saint Giles - Abbot

St. Giles, also known as Saint Ægidius, was a revered Christian hermit and abbot who lived during the 7th century. His life and legacy have left an indelible mark on the Christian world, particularly as the patron saint of the disabled, outcasts, and those suffering from physical and mental illness. His feast day is celebrated on September 1st.

Early Life and Hermitage

Born around 650 AD in Athens, Greece, St. Giles came from a noble lineage. His parents were devout Christians and instilled in him a deep faith from a young age. However, his life took a tragic turn when he lost both of his parents at an early age. Seeking to follow the teachings of Christ more closely, he gave away his inheritance to the poor and set off to live a life of solitude and contemplation.

St. Giles fled to Provence, France, where he sought refuge in the dense forests near the Rhône River. He lived as a hermit, dedicating his life to prayer and meditation. His solitary existence was marked by extreme austerity; he lived on wild herbs and roots, relying on God’s providence for sustenance. According to legend, a hind (a type of deer) became his companion during this time, providing him with milk. This animal became an important symbol in the stories of St. Giles.

Miraculous Encounter and Rise to Fame

The most famous legend associated with St. Giles involves his miraculous encounter with the king of the Visigoths, Wamba. While hunting in the forest, the king’s men pursued the hind that had become Giles’ companion. The animal sought refuge with the saint, and when the hunters shot an arrow, it struck Giles instead of the deer. The king, deeply moved by the hermit’s compassion and holiness, tried to make amends by offering him wealth and power, but Giles refused, desiring only to continue his life of solitude and prayer.

However, the king’s encounter with Giles did not remain private. Word of the saint’s piety and miraculous healing powers spread, and people began to seek him out for guidance and miracles. Despite his preference for solitude, Giles became a spiritual leader and healer for many. Eventually, he was persuaded to establish a monastery in the area that would later become the town of Saint-Gilles-du-Gard, near Nîmes. The monastery, which followed the Rule of St. Benedict, became a center for spirituality and attracted many followers.

Legacy and Patronage

St. Giles’ reputation for healing and compassion extended far beyond his lifetime. Pilgrims from all over Europe flocked to his monastery seeking miracles and blessings, particularly those who were physically or mentally ill. His association with the hind and his healing of the king’s wound contributed to his patronage of cripples, beggars, and those suffering from physical ailments. St. Giles became one of the most popular saints of the Middle Ages, with numerous churches and hospitals dedicated to him across Europe.

One of the most significant sites associated with St. Giles is the abbey in Saint-Gilles-du-Gard, which became an important stop on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. His relics were venerated by countless pilgrims, and his cult spread throughout Europe, reaching as far as England and Scotland, where many churches are named in his honor.

St. Giles is remembered as a saint who embodied the Christian virtues of charity, humility, and compassion. His life as a hermit, his miraculous encounters, and his dedication to helping those in need have made him a beloved figure in Christian tradition. Today, he is invoked as the patron saint of the disabled, outcasts, and those struggling with illness or adversity. His legacy continues to inspire those who seek to live a life of prayer, service, and trust in God’s providence.

♰ Patron: Beggars; breastfeeding; hermits; horses; physically disabled; woods; blacksmiths; against lameness; against leprosy; against sterility; against infertility.

♰ Symbols: Hand pierced with arrows; hind pierced with arrows; gold doe, pierced by a silver arrow; Benedictine with crosier, arrow piercing hand, protecting hind.

Prayer in Honor of St. Giles

O God, we beseech Thee to grant us through the merits and intercession of St. Giles to flee from the vanity and praise of this world, to avoid carefully all occasions of sin, to cleanse our hearts from all wickedness by a sincere confession, to leave this world in Thy love and rich in good works, and to find Thee gracious on the day of judgment. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Novena to St. Giles

Almighty and eternal God! With lively faith and reverently worshiping Thy divine Majesty, I prostrate myself before Thee and invoke with filial trust Thy supreme bounty and mercy. Illumine the darkness of my intellect with a ray of Thy heavenly light and inflame my heart with the fire of Thy divine love, that I may contemplate the great virtues and merits of the saint in whose honor I make this novena, and following his example imitate, like him, the life of Thy divine Son.

Moreover, I beseech Thee to grant graciously, through the merits and intercession of this powerful Helper, the petition which through him I humbly place before Thee, devoutly saying, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Vouchsafe graciously to hear it, if it redounds to Thy greater glory and to the salvation of my soul.