Medardus of Noyon

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Saint Medardus of Noyon

Medardus (* 456 in Salency , Gallia Belgica , Northern France; † June 8, 545 in Noyon ) was bishop of Vermandois in the middle of the 6th century , then of Noyon and later of Tournai , from where he evangelized Flanders . Medardus was known for his charity and was canonized. His feast day is June 8th.

Vita

Medardus was born the son of a Frankish nobleman. He became a priest and later bishop of the Vermandois. According to tradition, he also became Bishop of Tournai in 532, from where he evangelized the Flemish . Medardus is also used in connection with the dedication of St. Radegundis , until then wife of King Chlothar I and thus queen in one of the Merovingian sub-kingdoms, is mentioned. Radegundis fled to his church after Clothar killed her brother to be ordained a deaconess and to escape worldly life. Nicetius von Trier reports about miracles at his grave around 565. His vita was written shortly after 600.

It is often said that St. Godard (Gildard), who was Archbishop of Rouen , is said to have been his twin brother. Godard and Medardus are said to have died on the same day, so that the feasts of both saints coincide. However, this is a legend that first appeared in the 9th century and has persisted ever since. At the behest of the Frankish king, he was buried in the Saint-Médard monastery, later named after him, in Soissons north of Paris.

Adoration

Many churches have the patronage of St. Medardus (see Medarduskirche ). In France, over 70 municipalities bear the name of Saint-Médard , in Germany there are only Medard (Glan) and a district of Trier . He is still venerated as a patron saint in Belgium and Germany , for example in Ostdorf or in the city of Lüdenscheid , where the saint is also depicted in the city arms. He is also the patron saint of the small Italian town of Arcevia .

The saint is the patron saint of farmers, winegrowers, beer brewers and umbrella makers. He is called upon for rain, toothache, fever and mental illness as well as for dry hay weather and a good harvest. He is also supposed to help free from captivity.

In the Austrian provinces traditionally the Medardus tag is considered the cheapest day to carrots to sow (carrots) for the autumn harvest.

presentation

Medieval representations of the saint are not known. In paintings and in church windows Medardus is mostly depicted in the bishop's robe; rarely does he carry a heart in his left hand.

Pawn rule

For Medardus there is a farmer's rule similar to the dormouse rule in the Czech Republic, Hungary and France , which predicts the weather for 40 days:

"If it rains on Medardus, it will be wet for 40 days." ("Medardova kápě, 40 dní kape." Or "S'il pleut à la Saint Médard, il pleuvra 40 jours plus tard.")

literature

Web links

Commons : Medardus  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Wolfgang Fels: Studies on Venantius Fortunatus . Heidelberg 2006, p. 12 .
  2. ↑ similar to: Karl Friedrich Wilhelm Wander (Ed.): Deutsches Sprich emphasis-Lexikon , Volume 5. Leipzig 1880, Sp. 1596, online at zeno.org
personal data
SURNAME Medardus of Noyon
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Medardus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Bishop of Vermandois, then of Noyon and later of Tournai, saint
DATE OF BIRTH at 470
PLACE OF BIRTH Salency , County of Vermandois , Northern France
DATE OF DEATH around 560