ST CONSTANTIAN, HERMIT

ST CONSTANTIAN, HERMIT - 1 DECEMBER

SAINT CONSTANTIAN, HERMIT

Saint Constantian (Constantianus, Constantius), hermit in the French province of Maine, native of Auvergne (according to the Elenchus* he was actually an abbot), left his homeland at quite a young age and withdrew to the Micy monastery near Orleans, where he met Saint Frambald. The desire for higher perfection led both of them to leave Micy in order to seek out some remote wilderness where they could live unknown to the world. They therefore settled in Javron Forest (Gabrionum) in the Maine countryside. Here St Constantian, ordained a priest by Bishop Innocent of Mans, brought about numerous conversions through his zeal, his gentleness and his prayers. Constantian won such a reputation for his holiness throughout France that even Chlotar I [Frankish ruler, Gaul, Neustria], when he passed through the Maine in 560, visited him and recommended himself to his prayers. With the gifts he received from the king, he founded a monastery that existed for a long time and ultimately became a priory dependent on the Abbey of St Julian in Tours.

St Constantian does not seem to have survived King Chlotar for long, who died in 562 (in 580, according to Bucelin*), and was buried in the church of Javron, where his remains stayed until the time of the Norman invasions. At a later stage, a part of them was taken to the abbey of Breteuil (Britolium) in the bishopric of Beauvais in Picardy. His memorial is celebrated on December 1 in the Maine countryside (which is considered the anniversary of his death), and in the Diocese of Beauvais on the 2nd of the same month. According to Mabillon*, his holy skull has been applied to the faithful's heads, which is said to help ease headaches. (El., But.)

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 1, Augsburg, 1858, p. 664)

*A hagiography source used by the authors

Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Constantian may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Sources of these articles (in the original German): books.google.co.uk, de-academic.com, zeno.org, openlibrary.org

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