ST VALERICUS, HERMIT - 10 JANUARY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JANUARY

Saints celebrated on the 10th of January

Prayer to the Angels and the Saints

Heavenly Father, in praising Your Angels and Saints we praise Your glory, for by honouring them we honour You, their Creator. Their splendour shows us Your greatness, which infinitely surpasses that of all creation.

In Your loving providence, You saw fit to send Your Angels to watch over us. Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven.

Heavenly Father, You are glorified in Your Saints, for their glory is the crowning of Your gifts. You provide an example for us by their lives on earth, You give us their friendship by our communion with them, You grant us strength and protection through their prayer for the Church, and You spur us on to victory over evil and the prize of eternal glory by this great company of witnesses.

Grant that we who aspire to take part in their joy may be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that, after sharing their faith on earth, we may also experience their peace in heaven. Amen.

ST VALERICUS, HERMIT 

Saint Valericus (Walericus) was born to noble parents in the area of today's Belgium. In order to avoid the respect and fuss associated with his high station in society, he left his home and migrated to Aquitaine, where he moved into a hermitage near Limoges. 

FOR THE GREATER GLORY OF GOD

Here he surrendered himself entirely to the service of God with watching, fasting and prayer. Here he was appreciated for the right reasons - instead of drawing mere human respect, nothing but God's honour and glory was promoted through him. 

THE SICK AND SUFFERING WERE BROUGHT TO HIS CELL

The sick and suffering of all kinds were brought to his cell, where they received healing and help through his prayer and blessing. With his supplications he even drove away the locusts. Because he lived for God only, totally emptied of "self", he was tied into creation as saints like St Francis of Assisi and St Kevin of Glendalough were.  Birds came at his call, and sat on his hand. 

HE WAS BURIED IN THE CHURCH OF ST JULIAN

Anyone who dared to speak indecent in his presence or who swore, immediately felt the punishing hand of God. He died at a ripe old age on the fifth day after the Epiphany A.D. 620 and was buried in the Church of St Julian buried. Sometimes St Valericus' feast day is given as April 1 or July 8.

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, 1858)