Saint Hildevert of Meaux

Saint Hildevert Saint Hildevert Bishop of Meaux in the 7th century and patron saint of Gournay. was buried in the church he had himself caused to be built about six miles from Meaux, in the village of Vignely. His cult is famous in Gourna y, a to Gournay Town in Normandy featuring a collegiate church dedicated to Saint Hildevert. wn in Normandy, which possesses a beautiful church in his name, formerly collegiate, now parochial.

The collegiate church of Saint-Hildevert of Gournay, situated on the banks of the Epte, in the middle of the rich Bray valley, was for a long time the greatest ecclesiastical power in these regions. Like its sisters, the abbeys of Bellosane and Saint-Germer, it was set among the ponds, marshes, lakes, and fishponds whose memory and names still live on in verdant meadows. Following their example, it must have contributed to sanitizing the land and bringing out of the wilderness the numerous villages since called the Conquêts de Rue de Gournay and specialties of Beauvoisis.

The Airs of Gournay, lords, patrons, and founders of this church, took pleasure in covering it with their pious liberality; they subjected to its suzerain towers a good number of steeples in the Pays de Bray and England, the double fruit of their martial valor.

The relics of Saint Hildevert added a new luster to the independence of the collegiate church, and one might have said that a portion of the saint patron's pontifical crosier had passed into the hands of the Chapter, guardian of his sepulcher. Thus, from the highest antiquity, the Popes had granted it exemption from episcopal authority. The Archbishops of Rouen had the right to visit the collegiate church once in their lifetime, and even then, the visiting pontiff did not enter through the main portal, but through a side door. Shocked by this custom, an archbishop wanted one evening to enter through the main door, but he found it closed; he set about having it opened, or even broken down; but at that very instant, there arrived, on behalf of the Chapter, a bailiff charged with putting an end to this act of usurpation and ensuring that the unrecognized rights were respected. The prelate, astonished by this excess of audacity, said to the unfortunate bailiff: "As archbishop, I excommunicate you; as a member of the parliament, I interdict you" — "Ah! My Lord!" cried the bailiff, falling to his knees, "I have eight children to feed!" and the matter was settled. The metropolitan of Normandy, yielding with good grace, entered, like his predecessors, through the side door.

Proud of the bulls of the Popes and the edicts of our kings, the church of Saint-Hildevert took the title of 'insigne'.

The personnel of the Chapter consisted, from the 12th century, of a dean, eight canons, six chaplains, and two perpetual vicars, one of whom was the parish priest of Saint-Hildevert and the other of the parish of Notre-Dame, a charming church built in 1230 and demolished at the Revolution. Among the eight canons, the treasurer and the 'sainturier' were chosen. The treasurer watched over the sacristy, the bells, and the lighting. The 'sainturier' took care of the holy things, the relics, and the offerings of the faithful.

This Chapter, with its titles, honors, and prerogatives, was destroyed at the revolution of '89, and there remains of such power only the memory, a few squares, and some debris of houses to which beautiful names are still attached. There is, in front of the church, the square of the parvis or the cloister, which recalls the common life of the ancient regular canons; the deanery, or house of the dean, that prince of the Collegiate church, so jealous of his almost episcopal authority; finally the 'écolâtre', or house of the preceptor canon; it was there, says an ancient manuscript, that the canon rector of the schools held his classes and gave his lessons.

Here is, in a few words, the history of the cult and relics of Saint Hildevert: After remaining in obscurity for two centuries, the holiness of Hildevert was finally manifested to the eyes of men through great miracles that it pleased God to bring forth at his tomb. These miracles were followed by the translation of his body from Vignely to Meaux, a translation presided over by Saint Mayent, Abbot of Cluny, which took place in the 10th century. In the late 10th century, he was still held in great veneration at the Cathedral of Meaux, when three clerics of that church conceived the plan to remove him and take him from city to city throughout the kingdom of France. One of their first stops took place in the church of Saint-Laurent in Paris, and from that moment, a confraternity remained established in that parish under the name of Saint-Hildevert; a hospital was even built in the vicinity to preserve for posterity the memory of this beneficent passage. King Sai Le roi saint Louis King of France who visited the relics of Saint Hildevert. nt Louis and the great Archbishop of Rouen, Eudes Rigaud, wishing to benefit from the indulgences granted by the Metropolitan of England, came as simple pilgrims to visit the shrine of Saint Hildevert and to kiss his relics, which were fruitful in miracles. The prince presented himself there on April 17, 1257, and the prelate on August 22, 1263. On March 5, 1375, a frightful fire was on the point of reducing Gournay to ashes. The clergy of Saint-Hildevert came in procession to oppose the shrine of the Saint to the scourge. The fire ceased, and the grateful people saw with joy the relics of the Saint, through whose intercession they saw the scourge end. Queen Blanche, widow of Philip of Valois, who was fond of staying in

Gausbert Gausbert Founder of Montsalvy and Laussac in Auvergne. , whom tradition claims was born in Lower Auvergne, was raised to the priesthood because of the singular purity of his morals and the ardor of his zeal for religion. He first exercised the functions of the holy ministry in the village of Bezbédenne or Bez. Driven by the desire for a more perfect life, he then attached himself to the church of Saint-Sulpice, on the left bank of the Lot, and later to that of Saint-Projet, on the right bank of that river: prayer, preaching, and works of mercy filled all the hours of this priest, who was thirsty for the salvation of souls.

Having heard that there was, four leagues away in the mountains of Auvergne, a pass covered in snow for the greater part of the year and feared by travelers because of thieves and wild beasts, he went there both to increase his penances and out of a desire to be useful to his neighbor.

Having obtained the donation of this place from Berenger, Count of Rodez and Viscount of Carladès, he built there, over the space of twelve years, a monastery, a hospice to receive and care for travelers, and a church which he dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. Then, two priests, Pierre of Alby and Bertrand of Rodez, to whom were joined a few other disciples attracted by the renown of the founder, came to populate this solitude: Gausbert gave them the Rule of the Canons Regular of Saint Augustine. Henceforth, the place that was infested by brigands, and which other dangers made formidable, was inhabited only by charity and received, in accordance with the wish of Count Berenger, the name of Montsalvy or Mount of Sec urity, by Montsalvy Monastery and hospice founded by Saint Gausbert. which it is still designated today. Gérault, Bishop of Sisteron, consecrated the church.

Gausbert built another collegiate church: that of Saint-Michel de Laussac. Pontius, Bishop of Rodez, and subsequently three other bishops, those of Clermont, Saint-Flour, and Cahors, placed up to fifty-five parishes under the dependency of Saint-Michel and Montsalvy.

Despite the weight of years, Gausbert, still inflamed with zeal, undertook the reformation of the abbey of Saint-Amand de Rodez and set out for that city. He strove to bring back to a stricter observance the religious who, after having abandoned the monastic Rule, had embraced that of the canons and had gradually strayed from both. Despite the support of Bishop Pontius and Count Raymond IV, who had succeeded Bérenger, his advice, his prayers, and his examples obtained almost no result. Then, taking with him Bernard of Rhodes, whom he had won over to the holiness of the Rule, he took, his soul filled with sorrow, the road back to Montsalvy.

Gausbert built one last c hurch in Gausbert Founder of Montsalvy and Laussac in Auvergne. the eastern part of the county of Rodez, near the village of Cantoin, then he ended his laborious life with a holy death, on May 27 of the year 1081, under the pontificate of Gregory VII.

His mor tal remains, Grégoire VII Pope during whose pontificate Saint Gausbert died. in accordance with the wish dictated to him by humility, were laid outside the church of the monastery of Laussac, founded by him. Some time later, they were nevertheless transferred to the interior, where what remains of them is still found: Two bones were removed around 1850, one for the cathedral of Saint-Flour, the other for the church of Montsalvy.

Proper of Saint-Flour.