Saint Evremond

To imitate the poverty of the Savior, he devoted his wealth to the foundation of several churches and monasteries for both men and women in this solitude. Among these establishments was the convent of Fontenay-le-Louvet, about three leagues from Séez, of which he was named abbot. Evremond governed his religious with great wisdom, and led them to holiness, less by his discourses than by the imposing authority of his examples. Saint Annabert, Bishop of Séez, having learned of the good that Saint Evremond was doing, o rdained him pr saint Évremond Abbot of Fontenay and Montmerrey in the 8th century. iest and entrusted him with the pastoral charge. He then established him as abbot of the monastery of Montmerrey, founded by the Saint and located a short distance from the forest of Écouves, and only three leagues from Fontenay-le-Louvet. But, whatever affection he had for this place, he did not fix his residence there, for after some time he returned to Fontenay-le-Louvet. It was in this asylum, witness to his piety, his mortifications, and his zeal in procuring the glory of God, that he ended, around the year 720, a holy life crowned by the gift of miracles.

His body was buried with great honors in the church of Fontenay-le-Louvet by Saint Loyer, successor to Annobert. Miracles illustrated his funeral, and he was soon honored with a public cult. When the Normans came to destroy the monasteries built by the Saint, his monks transported his precious relics to the abbey of Saint-Évroult, hidden in the middle of the Ouche forest, where they remained until the 10th century. From there, they were transferred to the monastery of Saint-Pierre in Orléans, and later given in part to Bernard, Count of Senlis. He deposited them, with great respect and faith, in the fortress of Creil, convinced that this precious deposit would Creil City where the relics were deposited for protection. be a safeguard for the city against its enemies. These holy relics rested there for more than six hundred years in a famous collegiate church raised in their honor. In 1562, the Calvinists destroyed the portion of the S aint's reli Calvinistes Event during which the Cathedral of Meaux was devastated. cs kept in Orléans. Likewise, on November 7, 1567, after seizing the city of Creil, they broke the reliquary that contained them, consigned them to the flames, and threw the ashes into the Oise river; but the Canons of Saint-Évremond were able to save the head and arms of their glorious patron from destruction. Towards the end of th e 16th century, chef et les bras Bodily remains of the saint, partially saved from destruction. one of the Saint's arms was given to the church of Saint-Rieul in Senlis; the other arm and the head continued to be honored in Creil until the Revolution. At that time, the relics were hidden; but the place where they had been deposited has not been discovered since. The parish church of Creil therefore possesses today only a small portion of the Saint's relics, found a few years ago in Senlis. The church of Saint-Rieul in Senlis having been destroyed in 1791, the Saint's arm was taken to the cathedral church of that city. Mgr Gignoux, Bishop of Beauvais, authenticated this relic in 1855.

The dioceses of Bayeux and Séez are the only ones currently authorized by the Sacred Congregation to celebrate the office of this holy Confessor.

His memory has not ceased to be dear to the faithful of the diocese of Beauvais, and to the parishes of La Barre-de-Semilly and Saint-Ébremond-de-Bonfossé, in the diocese of Coutances. They invoke him and often obtain through his intercession the blessings they ask of the Lord.

Saint Évremond is depicted as an abbot, wearing an antique-style chasuble.

Excerpt from the Lives of the Saints of the diocese of Séez, by Abbé Blin, parish priest of Durcet.