Saint Faron of Meaux

After the tragic death of Theodebert and his brother Thierry, Faron came to the court of Clotaire Clotaire II King of Neustria and later sole King of the Franks, protector of Columbanus after his exile. II (613); through his good conduct, he acquired such reputation and credit that he became a member of the king's council. He fled from pomp and vanity, and had a horror of luxury; the love of heavenly goods made him despise those of the earth, and, in the freedom that his prince granted him, he often exhorted him not to attach his heart to the false splendor of his dignity, but to keep his gaze continually upon the eternal kingdom. In all his actions, he sought only to procure the glory of God and to make himself more pleasing to His divine Majesty, and, although he had entered into marriage by wedding Blidchilde, a woman of consummate wisdom, he always carried in his heart the desire to renounce the world to devote himself entirely to His service. It is also noted that he always upheld the rights of the monarchy and spared nothing to preserve it in its splendor. He used his power to deliver the oppressed and to assist the unfortunate. His counsels were always equitable; but they leaned more toward the side of mercy than that of rigor.

Saxon ambassadors having shown disrespect to Clotaire, the latter had them put in prison and swore t o wash a Clotaire King of Neustria and later sole King of the Franks, protector of Columbanus after his exile. way in their blood the insult he had received from them. Faron obtained from him that he defer the execution of the sentence for twenty-four hours. This term expired, the king pardoned them and even sent them back home laden with gifts.

Although he made holy use of the influence that his virtues and talents gave him at court, and led an edifying life there in accordance with the maxims of the Gospel, he was nonetheless frightened by the dangers to which one is exposed in the world, and he grieved inwardly at the impossibility of serving God without distraction. Finally, following a conversation he had on this subject with Saint Fare, his si ster, he re sainte Fare Virgin and abbess, founder of Faremoutiers in the 7th century. solved to delay no longer the execution of the plan he had long meditated: to renounce the company of men. He found Blidehilde, his wife, in the same frame of mind, and they separated by mutual consent. Blidehilde took the veil and chose as her dwelling a solitary place on one of her estates, which is believed to be Champigny. She died there a few years later in the odor of sanctity. As for Saint Faron, he entered the clergy of Meaux, of which he became the ornament.

As his reputation grew day by day, he was elected bi shop of Meaux i évêque de Meaux Episcopal see of Saint Hildevert. n 627, after the death of Gondoald. He immediately filled this see with the brilliance of his virtues, and he undertook with such courage the guidance of the faithful whose shepherd divine wisdom had made him, that he turned them away from the vices in which they were engaged and led them into the paths of virtue. Several great figures, touched by the eminence of his holiness, came to seek under his auspices the means to serve God with greater perfection; among others, Saint Kili an, Saint Fi saint Fiacre Irish hermit in France, companion of Saint Kilian. acre, and Saint Agile. He consecrated the first as an apostolic bishop, and the other two were excellent abbots in his diocese. He also performed very striking miracles: he restored by the sign of the cross an altar stone that had broken in two and a glass that had shattered; he restored sight to a blind man by the virtue of the holy Chrism with which he anointed him while confirming him; he opened by his word alone the door of a prison and brought out prisoners who promised to convert; he pulled from the water, safe and sound, people who had already remained submerged there for an hour. Finally, as he refused nothing to God that he could do for His glory, God also fulfilled all his desires.

It is reported in his life that the demon, who constantly watches for the ruin of the righteous, attacked him one day with t he memory Blidehilde Wife of Saint Faron, who became a nun. of Blidehilde, his wife. He desired to see her again: he invited her to do so on three different occasions. This virtuous woman came; but, so as not to expose the servant of God or herself to the snares of Satan, she had her hair cut, put on poor clothing, donned a hairshirt, and presented herself to him in this manner. This caused him to look within himself and reflect upon his lapse. He was ashamed of his weakness, humbled himself before God, and then, admiring the prudence and virtue of his former wife, he sent her away.

His extraordinary merit made him venerable to all the prelates of his time. In 630, he performed with Saint Amand the dedication of the abbey church of Rebais, in the pres ence of Sa saint Ouen Author of the eulogy and life of Saint Aurea. int Ouen, who was its founder, a nd Saint E saint Eloi Founder of the monastery and spiritual advisor to Saint Aurea. ligius; it was there that he restored with them that small marble altar which had split in two. In 647, he attended with the same Saint Ouen and Saint Eligius, already consecrated bishops, the translation of the relics of Saint Crispin and Saint Crispinian at Soissons. In 657, he was present at the Synod of Sens, where nearly forty bishops granted a considerable privilege to the monastery of Saint-Pierre-le-Vif. In 662, he subscribed to another privilege that Berteford, Bishop of Amiens, gave to the Abbey of Corbie. Some authors claim that before his episcopate he had been a religious of the Orders of Saint Benedict or Saint Columbanus, like Saint Cagnoald, his brother; but it is more accurate that he was only their benefactor, and it is in this capacity that he was inserted into the monastic martyrology.

As early as the year 628, wishing to have near him religious whose example would animate him to virtue and with whom he could converse about heavenly things, he founded, in the suburb of Meaux, on the lands of his patrimony, and endowed w ith great revenues a magnificent monaster monastère en l'honneur de la sainte Croix Monastery founded by Faron in the suburb of Meaux. y in honor of the Holy Cross, Saint John the Baptist, and the Apostles.

This holy bishop died on October 28, 672, at the age of approximately eighty; the cathedral and the parish of Laferté-sous-Jouarre possess a portion of his relics. He is the patron saint of Esclainville.

He is depicted healing a young blind man.

Cf. Histoire générale de l'Église, by Abbé Darrus; Les Moines d'Occident, by M. de Montalembert.