Saint Berchon
Berechond
Bishop of Amiens
Bishop of Amiens in the 7th century, Saint Berchon is known for his support of Saint Valery and the evangelization of the Vimeu. He fought against pagan customs by Christianizing sacred trees through the placement of relics. His tomb was identified at Saint-Acheul among those of the city's ancient bishops.
Guided reading
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SAINT BERECHOND, BISHOP OF AMIENS (7th century).
Introduction and succession
Berchon became Bishop of Amiens around 641, succeeding Saint Salvius or Deodatus, although his family origins remain unknown.
Saint Berchon Saint Berchon Bishop of Amiens in the 7th century and evangelizer of the Vimeu region. , Bishop of Amien Amiens Episcopal see of Geoffrey. s, succeeded, around the year 641, Saint Salvius according to some, and Deodatus according to others. Nothing is known of his birth, nor of his family. The history of his episcopate is limited to the relat ions he main saint Valéry Saint to whom Condède dedicated an altar. tained with Saint Valery, a monk of L uxeuil and founder abbaye de Leucocous Site of the foundation of an abbey in Picardy. of the abbey of Leucocous, in Picardy.
Support for monastic foundations
The bishop facilitated the royal donations of Clotaire II and assisted Saint Blitmond in transforming a primitive oratory into a regular monastery.
He facilitated the donation that Clotai Clotaire II King of Neustria and later sole King of the Franks, protector of Columbanus after his exile. re II made to Valery of the land of Leucocous and later lent his support to Saint Blitm saint Blitmond Collaborator of Berchon in the reconstruction of the monastery of Leucocous. ond, to raise the primitive oratory from its ruins and make it a regular monastery.
Evangelization and the struggle against paganism
Berchon Christianized the Vimeu by diverting the pagan cult of trees through the use of Christian relics.
Saint Berchon evangelized th e Vim Vimeu Region evangelized by Saint Berchon. eu, which remained stubbornly attached to certain pagan customs and especially to the cult of trees. One of these sacred trees stood near the hermitage of Saint Valery and attracted the superstitious homage of visitors. Berchon hung from this tree relics that he was accustomed to carrying on his person and was thus able, without abruptly breaking inveterate habits, to give them a Christian consecration.
The burial of Saint Valery
After the death of Saint Valery, Berchon attempts without success to transfer his remains to the cathedral of Amiens, the body remaining miraculously immovable.
It was at the foot of this tree that Saint saint Valéry Saint to whom Condède dedicated an altar. Valery was buried in the year 622. Three years later, the religious of Leuconsius having been dispersed by war, Berchon wished to transfer the venerated remains of Saint Valery to his cathedral: but all efforts remained powerless, one could not exhume the body nor even lift it. It was reserved for Saint Blitmond to make it the cornerstone of the monastery that he was to rebuild.
Death and burial
The date of his death is debated between 627 and 644; he is likely buried at the church of Saint-Acheul among his predecessors.
The precise time of Saint Berchon's death is unknown. The anonymous author of the Life of Saint Valery set it in the year 627, Lamotte in the year 640, and de Court in the year 644. The author of the memoirs serving the history of Saint Acheul conjectures that Berchon's tomb is one of the five that were discovered in 1097, in the ancient catacomb of Faustinian, at the church of Saint-Ac église de Saint-Acheul Former church and catacomb serving as a burial place for the bishops of Amiens. heul, where all his predecessor bishops had been buried.
Recognition and Cult
Although his liturgical cult has disappeared in Amiens, his sanctity is attested by ancient texts and sculpted representations at the cathedral.
The title of Saint is given to Berchon by the author of the Life of Saint Valery, who lived in the 14th century, by the litanies of the diocese that we find in our liturgical manuscripts of the 14th and 15th centuries, and by several catalogues of the bishops of Amiens.
The church of Amiens no longer celebrates his feast day. It is assumed that Saint Berchon is one of the six bishops who are sculpted on the S aint-Firmin portal cathédrale d'Amiens Episcopal see of Geoffrey. of the Amiens Cathedral. His imaginary portrait could be seen in the chapel of the bishopric.
*Hagiography of the Diocese of Amiens.*
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Succession of Saint Salvius or Deodatus around 641
- Support for the donation of Clotaire II to the Abbey of Leucocous
- Evangelization of the Vimeu and struggle against tree worship
- Assisted Saint Blitmond in restoring the oratory of Leucocous
- Unsuccessful attempt to transfer the relics of Saint Valery to Amiens
Miracles
- Inability to lift the body of Saint Valery during the attempted translation