Feastday: December 8
Death: 653
In the account of St Amatus of Remiremont it is related how he brought about the conversion to God of a Merovingian nobleman named Romaric, who became a monk at Luxeuil; and how they afterwards went together to the estate of Romaric at Habendum in the Vosges, and established the monastery which was later known as Remiremont (Romarici Mons). The father of Romaric had lost his life and his lands at the hands of Queen Brunehilda, and his young son became a homeless wanderer; but at the time of his meeting St Amatus, Romaric was a person of distinction at the court of Clotaire II, with considerable property and a number of serfs. These he enfranchised, and it is said that when he was tonsured at Luxeuil several of these newly freed men presented themselves to the abbot for the same purpose. Remiremont was founded in 620 and St Amatus was its first abbot, but his duties soon devolved upon St Romaric, who at the time of his death had governed for thirty years. Among the early recruits was the friend of Romaric, St Arnulfus of Metz, who about 629 came to end his days in a nearby hermitage. Shortly before his death St Romaric was disturbed by the news that Grimoald, the son of another old friend, Bd Pepin of Landen, was plotting to exclude the young prince Dagobert from the Austrasian throne. The aged abbot made his way to Metz, where he remonstrated with Grimoald and warned the nobles who supported him. They heard him quietly, treated him with courtesy, and sent him back to his monastery. Three days later St Romaric died.
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This article is about the saint. For the Ivorian football player, see Romaric (footballer).
Saint Romaric (died 653) was a Frankish nobleman who lived in Austrasia from the late 6th century until the middle of the 7th century. He and Amatus of Grenoble founded Remiremont Abbey.
Biography
He was a former Count Palatine in the court of the Merovingian king, Theodebert II. His parents were killed by Queen Brunhilda, and because of the enmity of his family with this queen, he wandered without a home. However, with the fall of the Queen, he was received at the court of C rhar II and his lands restored.
Disenchanted with life as a courtier, Romaric experienced a religious conversion through the missionary efforts of Amatus of Grenoble, a monk of Luxeuil Abbey. Romaric entered Luxeuil and trained to be a monk. With the approval of Abbot Eustace, Romaric and Amatus founded a double monastery for men and women, later given the name of Remiremont (Romariki Mons). The monastery was built on land belonging to St. Romaric, when he was a count palatine. One of the earlier monks in Remiremont was St. Romaric's friend St. Arnulf.
Around 625 Romaric succeeded Amatus as abbot. He directed several members of his family who embraced religious life there: two of his daughters, Ozeltruda and Zeberga, his granddaughter Gebetruda, and his grandson Adelphus.
Romaric died in 653.
Romaric is recognized as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church, with a feast day on December 10 or December 8. He was canonized on 3 December 1049 by Pope Leo IX.
