Saint Girard of Loiselière

However, our servant of God felt called to a more perfect way of life: he became a monk (1085) in the Abbey of Sain t-Aubin d'Angers (founded in 5 abbaye de Saint-Aubin d'Angers Benedictine abbey where Girard became a monk and was buried. 51 by King Childebert). His high virt roi Childebert King of the Franks, historical founder of the Abbey of Saint-Aubin. ues earned him the responsibility of forming almost all the important establishments that the Abbey of Saint-Aubin was founding at that time. Brossay was h is firs Brossay First monastic foundation established by Girard. t creation; near the priory, he raised a hut of branches where he led a solitary life. Later, he was recalled by his superior to the Abbey of Saint-Aubin, and began that extraordinary and miraculous way of life in which he persevered until his last breath. Enclosed in a modest cell that was built for him near the abbey church, he gave himself without reserve to tears, vigils, and continuous prayer. Around his neck was suspended a heavy iron collar, to the end of which was attached an even heavier stone. Under his hair shirt armed with iron spikes, he wore around his loins an iron belt nearly three fingers wide. On each arm, under the armpits, an iron ring, and above the hands, two other iron rings tormented him day and night. The legs and thighs also had their iron circles. Saint Girard further aggravated these voluntary torments by the harshness of the bed upon which he took the little rest he granted his tired limbs: the bare earth upon which he placed a bundle of rushes, with a rough stone as a pillow, such was the bed of this intrepid athlete of Jesus Christ.

In reward for so many virtues, God had granted Saint Girard the gift of prophecy and miracles; but so many austerities had also exhausted his body. Our generous servant of God rendered his beautiful soul to his Creator on November 4, 1123. He was buried in one of the chapels of the right side aisle of the rich basilica of Saint-Aubin. His tomb immediately became one of the most frequented pilgrimage sites in Anjou. In the presence of the multitude of brilliant wonders that occurred there, the monks of Saint-Aubin felt obliged to bestow the honors of public cult upon their venerable brother almost immediately. An altar dedicated under his name was therefore erected near the tomb of the Blessed one, and his feast day was set for November 4, the day of his entry into heaven. His body remained exposed on this altar until 1623. At that time, some repairs having been made in this part of the basilica, he was placed in another location where he remained for forty years. In 1693, he was transferred to a new chapel raised in his honor, near the high altar, on the Gospel side. It was there that he received the tributes of public cult until the Revolution. At that time, his bones Révolution Period during which the saint's relics were hidden and lost. were secretly hidden in the cemetery of Saint-Laud: it has been im possible to find them s cimetière de Saint-Laud Place where the saint's bones were secretly hidden. ince.

He has been depicted with unkempt hair, a long beard, and wearing long iron chains suspended around his neck, arms, and loins, the instruments of his penance.

We have very carefully analyzed the fine work of the Rev. Fr. Chamard, in the Saints of Anjou.