Nephew of Saint Goeric and Count of Tonnerre, Ebbon became abbot and then Bishop of Sens in 709. He distinguished himself in 731 by leading the inhabitants in battle to repel the siege of the Saracens. He ended his days as a hermit in a cave at Arces, while continuing to instruct his diocese until his death in 740.
Guided reading
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SAINT EBBON OR EBBES,
TWENTY-NINTH BISHOP OF SENS AND CONFESSOR (740).
Origins and monastic vocation
Nephew of Saint Goeric and Count of Tonnerre, Ebbon renounced his titles to become a monk and then abbot of Saint-Pierre le Vif in 704.
Nephew of Saint Goeri saint Goéric Saint whose relics are in Epinal, invoked for Saint Anthony's fire. c, his predecessor on the episcopal see of Se ns, Sens Archiepiscopal see occupied by Saint Aldric. Ebbon became after him the second Count of Tonnerre Tonnerre City of origin of a woman healed by the saint. (Yonne), and, following in his footsteps, renounced the dignities and pleasures that the world promised him to live under the austere rule of Saint Ben Saint-Benoît Founder of the Benedictine Order, cited as a chronological reference point. edict in the monastery of Saint-Pierre le Saint-Pierre le Vif Monastery in Sens housing the relics of saints. Vif, of which he became abbot in 704.
Episcopate in Sens
Appointed Bishop of Sens in 709, he distinguished himself by his charity towards the poor, his piety, and his preaching.
After the death of his uncle, he was drawn from his solitude and charged with the care of governing the Church of Sens (709). Ebbon used his revenues to relieve the poor, mortified his body through penance, sanctified his soul through prayer, enlightened his diocese by the light of his miracles, edified it by his examples, and instructed it through his preaching.
Heroic defense against the Saracens
In 731, he took the lead of the resistance against the siege of Sens by the Saracens, leading the inhabitants to victory as far as Seignelay.
During his pontificate, and in 731, according to the most common opinion, the Saracens, drawn into France by Eudes, Duke of Aquitaine, advanced as far as the walls of Sens Sens Archiepiscopal see occupied by Saint Aldric. , whose suburbs they set on fire. Consternation was great among the inhabitants who, so as not to be buried under the ruins of the city, thought of capitulating, when Ebbon raised their dejected spirits by offering to lead them into combat himself.
The camp of the infidels, attacked by surprise, was taken; the Saracens fled in disorder before the Christians, who pursued them as far as the small town of Seignelay and made a dreadful carnage o Seignelay Site of the final defeat of the Saracens pursued by Ebbon. f them.
Retirement and eremitic life
After attending the assembly of Tolbiac, he retired to a cave in Arces while continuing to carry out his Sunday ministry in Sens.
The following year, Ebbon attended an assembly convened at Tolbiac by Ch arles Martel. Charles-Martel Mayor of the palace, possible ancestor of the saint. When this warlike prince had destroyed the Saracens, Saint Ebbon resolved to retire into solitude to devote himself to contemplation. He chose the village of Arces (di stric Arces Village where the saint retreated into a cave. t of Joigny), in the middle of the forests: a cave served as his cell, and it was there that the long years of his old age were spent; however, not entirely abandoning the guidance of his flock, he would go every Sunday to his archiepiscopal city, celebrate the holy Mysteries there, break the bread of the word of God for his children, bless them, and return to his hermitage.
Death and burial
He died in 740 and was buried at the Abbey of Saint-Pierre le Vif according to his wishes.
He died on August 27, 740, the day on which he is honored in Sens and in several regions of France. Saint Ebbon was burie d at Saint-Pierre l Saint-Pierre le Vif Monastery in Sens housing the relics of saints. e Vif, in the chapel of Notre-Dame, in accordance with his last wishes. Taken from La France Pontificale, by Fiaquet Fiaquet Author of the work 'La France Pontificale', cited as a source. .
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Becomes second Count of Tonnerre
- Entered the monastery of Saint-Pierre le Vif under the Rule of Saint Benedict
- Appointed abbot of Saint-Pierre le Vif in 704
- Elected Bishop of Sens in 709
- Defense of Sens against the Saracens in 731
- Participation in the assembly of Tolbiac convened by Charles Martel in 732
- Eremitic retreat in a cave at Arces
Miracles
- Illuminated his diocese with the light of his miracles (unspecified)