Saint Valeric

Saint Valeric Saint Valéric Hermit and confessor of the Limousin, originally from Reims. was born around the year 530, in the prov ince of Reims, to province de Reims Site of the baptism of Clovis. noble and Christian parents, who took the greatest care of his education. Valeric showed early on what he would be capable of and made rapid progress in science and virtue; from his tender age one would have taken him for an old man, so wise, grave, and prudent was he in his words and actions. Thus, God was pleased to reward his purity, his gentleness, and his piety with the gift of miracles. Valeric, fearing the sin of vainglory, thought of leaving his country and resolved to go to honor the relics of Saint Martial in the city of Limoges ( saint Martial First apostle of Aquitaine and disciple of the Lord. around 563). Arriv ing at Limoges Possible birthplace of the saint and origin of the woman who received the miracle. the sepulcher of the great Apostle, he spent long days there in prayer, vigils, and fasting, begging him to make known to him the will of God concerning him. The canons of Limoges, delighted by his piety, offered him a solitude about ten leagues to the north of that city, in a place where the church of Saint-Julien, martyr, was later built, and which gave birth to the town of Saint-Vaury Saint-Vaury Town born from the solitude of the hermit. .

It was there that he had a cell built for himself at the foot of Mou mont Bernage Site of the eremitic cell of Valeric. nt Bernage, formerly Benoarge, a cell in which he spent his whole life in prayer, orison, fasting, vigils, and all the other exercises of penance. More than once he had to endure the terrible assaults of the demon who tried to discourage him and represented to him the advantages and honors he would have had in the world if he had remained there, and this without having to fear for his salvation. Valeric would then redouble his prayers and his mortifications.

But God could not leave such virtues without reward, nor hide from the world such a brilliant light. Soon the sick and the infirm of all kinds came in crowds to the cell of Saint Valeric; to some he rest saint Valeric Hermit and confessor of the Limousin, originally from Reims. ored the health of the body, to others he lavished the advice and consolation that their minds and hearts needed, and all returned praising and glorifying God who is admirable in His Saints. Thus it was that Valeric passed through the earth doing good, and arrived at an extreme old age. He fell asleep in the peace of the Lord, on the 10th of January, around the year 620. All the sick who were present at his death were healed by his intercession. He was buried in the church of Saint Julian, martyr, which he had s o often and so relig Saint-Julien, martyr Greek deacon, brother of Saint Julius and missionary in Northern Italy. iously visited, and where he continues his miracles in favor of those who come to invoke him.

The solitude of Saint Valeric is still a place of pilgrimage; one venerates there a cave where he often went to pray, and which is called the Cradle of Saint-Valeric. M. Siryeix, dean-pastor of Saint-Vaulry, planted a cross there. No glory is comparable to that which God gives to His Saints, even in this world. Many centuries have passed since the passage of Saint Valeric in our regions, and his memory is still as alive there: In memoria æterna erit justus. The precious reliquaries that contained the relics of our Blessed one escaped the vandalism and profanation of the Revolutionaries through the care of Doctor J.-B. Loriol, former prio docteur J.-B. Loriol Former prior of the White Penitents who saved the relics. r of the White Penit ents. The church pénitents blancs Confraternity to which Doctor Loriol belonged. of Saint-Vaulry also possesses a statue without any artistic merit, and precious only for the Saint it attempts to represent. It was hidden at the La Valette estate; and everyone still rec La Valette Estate where the saint's statue was hidden during the French Revolution. ounts that the terrible storm which, at that time, ravaged these regions over an extent of twenty-five leagues, respected only the La Valette estate.

The feast of Saint Valeric is celebrated with much pomp on July 8th and the following Sunday. According to an ancient custom, the bells are chimed when the wonder-working Saint has granted some signal favor; otherwise, they are rung in full peal. This custom comes, it is said, from the fact that the bells rang by themselves at the moment of our Saint's death.

Annales hagiologiques by M. Ch. Barthélemy.