Saint Didier of Rennes was a 7th-century bishop; he was born in Rennes, in Brittany, and died near what is now called Saint-Dizier-l'Évêque in the Territoire de Belfort, in France.
Saint Didier | |
|---|---|
_M%C3%A9tropole_Saint-Pierre_-_Int%C3%A9rieur_-_Procession_des_saints_de_Bretagne_-_Saint_Didier_et_Saint_Rainfroi.jpg) Saint Didier and Saint Rainfroi | |
| Born | 7th century Rennes |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholicism |
| Feast | 18 September |
Biography
editDidier was born in Rennes in the 7th century,[1] where he studied and became bishop about 660. He assisted at a Synod of Reims in 682.[2]
He resigned and went on a pilgrimage to Rome[3] in a group that included his deacon, Saint Reinfroid. On their return they passed through German lands and then south of the Vosges, near today's Saint-Dizier-l'Évêque[4] and was welcomed in the local church.
Having preached there, he went on the road again but was soon attacked by robbers who killed him and his acolytes near the village of Croix, Territoire de Belfort.[5] Didier was buried in the church and a cult arose around him as is attested in a 727 charter in Murbach Abbey. Various miracles are ascribed to him.[6] His feast day is 18 September.[3]
The feet of Saint Dizier
editA rock named "The step of the devil and the feet of Saint Didier", found near Saint-Dizier-l'Évêque, has indentations that local legend claims are the remains of a struggle between the devil and the saint.[7]
Towns named for Saint Didier
editMany communities in France are named for this Saint Didier including Saint-Didier, Ille-et-Vilaine, but many honor other saints of the same name.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Kessler & Baudouin 1914, p. 379
- ^ Holweck, Frederick George. A Biographical Dictionary of the Saints, vol.1, B. Herder, 1924, p. 272
- ^ a b "Saint Dizier, évêque de Rennes (7ème s.)". nominis.fr. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
- ^ Kessler & Baudouin 1914, p. 378
- ^ Kessler & Baudouin 1914, p. 380
- ^ Kessler & Baudouin 1914, p. 381
- ^ Kessler & Baudouin 1914, p. 377
Bibliography
edit- Kessler, Fritz; Baudouin, Marcel (1914). "Les Pas du Diable et les Pieds de Saint-Dizier (Territoire de Belfort)". Bulletin de la Société préhistorique de France. 11 (8): 377–390. doi:10.3406/bspf.1914.7085.
External links
edit- "Saint Dizier ou Didier, évêque de Rennes et Saint Reginfraoid ou Rainfroid, Martyrs" (PDF). orthodoxievco.net. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
- "La Pierre des Fous". lieux-insolites.fr. Retrieved 11 November 2016.