Serenidus of Saulges

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Serenidus of Saulges
Statue of Serenidus wearing a cardinals' habit and red galero
Bornc. 600
Spoleto, Italy
Diedc. 680 (aged approx. 80)
Saulges, France
FeastMay 7 or August 16
PatronageSaulges, France

Serenidus of Saulges (

feast day is celebrated on May 7, with his brother Serenicus
, or locally on August 16.

Background

Born into a noble family in

diocese of Le Mans.[2]
His relics are kept at the oratory.

He died in 680 following an illness and was initially buried in the Saint Peter's Church, Saulges [fr].[3] In the 8th century his relics were moved to the Cathedral Saint-Maurice in Angers; and were later returned and placed in the church at Saint-Céneré. a reliquary containing a small part of his body is exposed in the north transept of the Saint Peter's church.[4]

Legends and miracles

Source of the stream in the oratory

The source of the spring has been venerated, and a pilgrimage site, for more than a millennium. An annual pilgrimage takes place every August around the time of his

saint's day. Many pilgrims come to venerate the relics of the saint in Saulges and see the miraculous spring that Serenidus is said to have caused to flow.[5]

There are legends about the spring: in one of them, a young pagan girl going to offer a libation to a water deity stopped to talk to Serenidus; as he prayed for her a tear from his eye fell on the ground, creating a hole that brought forth the spring.[2] In another legend, an unbeliever blocked the flow of the spring with a stick. Upon returning home he was seized with violent pains and prevented from urinating; his illness ceased when returning to the hermitage he unblocked the source. From these legends the spring is nicknamed "the little pissing saint."[2][6]

Serenidus had a reputation as a

Bishop of Le Mans, Berecharius, he saved the countryside from a drought, a famine and an epidemic.[4]

Impact

Commemorative plaque of the soldiers of Saulges who died during the world wars

Serenidus is influential locally. Many representations of the saint are seen throughout

cardinal's habit. There is bas-relief in the Cathedral Saint-Maurice in Angers where his relics were once housed.[7]

He is also found in a commemorative plaque of the soldiers of Saulges who died during the world wars found in the Notre Dame de Saulges church [Wikidata] (pictured).

Gallery

  • Fresco, chapel of Saint Peter, 16th century
    Fresco, chapel of Saint Peter, 16th century
  • Terracotta, chapel of Saint Peter north transept 17th century
    Terracotta, chapel of Saint Peter north transept 17th century
  • Fresco, chapel of Saint Martin de Villenglose circa 13th century
    Fresco, chapel of Saint Martin de Villenglose circa 13th century

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Saint Céréné". Nominis (in French). Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  2. ^
    ISBN 9782758604860
    .
  3. ^ "Oratoire de Saint-Céneré de Saulges - La vie de Saint Céneré". oratoire-saint-cenere.com (in French). Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  4. ^ a b Girard, Alphonse-Victor. "La vie de Saint Céneré". Saulges bulletin municipal (in French). Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  5. ^ "L'oratoire Saint Cénéré à Saulges". stpierredumaine.fr (in French). Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  6. ^ Oratoire de Saint-Céneré (in French). Vol. 12. 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2018. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  7. OCLC 461464331. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help
    )

External links
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Serenidus_of_Saulges&oldid=1166067692"