A monk of the Abbey of Micy in the 6th century, Saint Viatre retired to the marshy moors of Sologne to live as a hermit. He marked the site of his cell by planting an aspen tree, which gave its name to the village of Tremble-Vif. He is particularly invoked for the healing of marsh-related fevers.
Guided reading
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SAINT VIATRE OF TREMBLE-VIF,
Geographical context of Sologne
Description of Sologne in the 6th century, a wild region of marshes and moors marked by unhealthiness and fevers.
### MONK OF SAINT-MESMIN, NEAR ORLÉANS, THEN A SOLITARY IN THE DIOCESE OF BLOIS (Mid-6th century).
Sol ogne (Seco La Sologne Natural region of France characterized by its marshes and heaths. launia) is a small region of ancient France, in the Orléanais, today in the Loir-et-Cher department, between the Loire and Berry. This land is covered with marshes (there are about 1,200 of them, occupying 17,000 hectares), moors, heaths, and uncultivated lands; fevers are frequent there and the population is sparse.
Vocation and settlement at Tremble-Vif
Viatre, a monk from Micy originally from Berry, settled in Sologne and founded his hermitage by planting a symbolic aspen tree.
During the time that Saint Mesmin governed the monastery of Micy (today Saint-Mesmin), near Orléans, several religious men from this house withdrew into the moors of Sologne to serve God there with greater freedom of spirit. Among them was Viatre, a nativ Viatre 6th-century hermit, former monk of Micy and patron saint of Sologne. e of Berry. Having arrived in the solitude, he marked the location of his cell and the place where he wished to die by planting an aspen, from which the church and the village of the place later took the picturesque name of Trem ble-Vif (Tr Tremble-Vif Site of the hermitage of Saint Viatre, which became a parish. emulus vetus, in Latin); local tradition adds that this miraculous tree renewed itself from age to age within one of the pillars of the temple. The cult of the blessed patron has been perpetuated in the same way; and this region invokes him with pious confidence. He is particularly attributed with the power to cure fevers, so common amidst the unhealthy marshes of Sologne.
Healings and construction of the church
A couple from Berry is cured of paralysis and blindness through the saint's intercession, in return financing the construction of his church.
The church was built, or at least rebuilt, thanks to the generosity of two spouses native to Berry, who were as fervent as they were wealthy. The husband had been paralyzed for ten years, the wife blind for fifteen; both owed their complete recovery to the intercession of Saint Viatre, and they generously showed him their gratitude: thus speaks the naive legend.
Recognition of relics and posterity
History of the relics rediscovered in the 17th century and the continuity of the cult in the parish now named Saint-Viatre.
The relics of this venerated patron, after having undergone several vicissitudes, were recognized again in 1617, and enclosed in a splendid silver reliquary, donated by M. De loynes d'Auteroche, the M. Deloynes d'Auteroche Parish landowner who donated a silver reliquary in 1617. n the principal landowner of the parish of Tremble-Vif.
The feast of Saint Viatre is marked on August 5th. For some years now, the parish has been authorized to drop its name and take that of the patron saint it still honors.
Sainte de Blois, by Dupré, librarian.
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Entered the monastery of Micy under the direction of Saint Mesmin
- Retirement in the Sologne moors to live as a hermit
- Planting of an aspen tree to mark the site of his future burial
- Foundation of the hermitage of Tremble-Vif
Miracles
- Planting of a miraculous aspen that renewed itself within a pillar of the church
- Healing of a man paralyzed for ten years
- Healing of a woman blind for fifteen years