ST JUNIANUS, ABBOT OF NOAILLES - 13 AUGUST

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN AUGUST

Saints celebrated on the 13th of August

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SAINT JUNIANUS, ABBOT OF NOAILLES

Saint Junianus [Saint Junien], Abbot of Noailles (Noviliacum) in France, descended from a noble family that lived in the region of present-day Poitiers (Pictavium). Even as a tender boy, he imitated the life of the hermits. When he had grown to manhood through prayer, reading, and contemplation of the Holy Scriptures, he secluded himself from the world in a place called Chaulnay (Coloniacum), to spend his life contemplating heavenly things. However, many who visited him in his solitude compelled him to accept them as disciples. He eventually yielded to their requests and was then ordained a priest, in order to be not only a father but also a teacher of the monks through his priestly authority. Saint Radegundis, wife of King Chlothar, availed himself of his advice and assistance in all matters concerning her salvation. Chlothar assigned him a very spacious place to build a monastery, called Mairé l'Evescaut (Mariacum).

The saint often withdrew from his monastery to the small cell at Chaulnay, there to lead a life of complete sobriety. He was blessed with the gift of miracles and prophecies. When he foresaw the day of his death, he gathered all his monks around him, appointed his most beloved pupil, Auremundus, as his successor, gave them other beneficial teachings, and especially exhorted them to love one another. After bidding them all farewell and giving them the kiss of peace, he yielded up his spirit on the same day and at the same hour that Queen Radegundis departed this temporal world, namely on August 13, 587, at daybreak. His body was first buried at Mariacum, but later, when this place had been almost turned into a desert by constant war disturbances, the last abbot of that monastery translated Junianus' mortal remains to the newly built church of Noailles, three hours from Poitiers, on November 6, 830. In 1569, they was buried in the earth for fear of the possibility of heretics desecrating it, and his grave could not be located again afterwards. He is commemorated on August 13.

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 3, Augsburg, 1869, p. 545)

Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Junianus 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