St. Vigor

Feastday: November 1
Death: 537

Bishop and missionary. Born at Artois, France, he studied at Arras under St.Vedast and considered the idea of becoming a priest so overwhelmmg that he ran away when his father expressed his opposition to his ordination. Subsequently ordained, he preached at Raviere and worked as a missionary until 513 when he was named bishop of Baycux. As bishop, he opposed paganism and founded a church on the site of a one-time pagan idol. He also founded a monastery nearby, later known as St. Vigeur le Grand.

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Saint Vigor (French: Saint Vigor, Vigeur; Latin: Vigor, Vigorus) (died circa 537 AD) was a French bishop and Christian missionary. An early vita was composed about 750–775, probably in Bayeux, where he had been bishop and was venerated from an early date. Born in Artois, he studied at Arras under Saint Vedast. His noble father, preoccupied with worldly prestige, would not grant approval for him to become a priest, so he ran away from home, taking nothing with him, accompanied by an acolyte, Theodimir. Thereafter, he became a hermit preacher at Reviers, Calvados, and worked as a missionary. Saint Vigor was named bishop of Bayeux in 514.

He fervently opposed paganism and founded a monastery, later known as Saint-Vigor-le-Grand. In Bayeux, Normandy, he destroyed a pagan temple that was still in use and built a church on the grounds.

Veneration

In Normandy, Vigor was venerated and churches are dedicated to him. Normandy was the site for the establishment of his cult after the successful Norman conquest of England. Two English churches have been dedicated to Vigor; one in Fulbourn, Cambridgeshire, the other in Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Somerset. His feast falls on All Saints' Day (November 1), and as a result is often moved to another date. Saint Vigor is mentioned in the life (vita) of Saint Paternus.

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  Statue of Saint Vigor

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  Église St Vigor Neau, French Maine.

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  Fresco at the Church of St Vigor de Neau.

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  Église Saint-Vigor at Marly-le-Roi, Île-de-France

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  Church of St Vigor with All Saints at Fulbourn, England

Notes

1. ^ Vita Sancti Vigoris
2. ^ ad vicum quemdam qui vocatur Redeveris (Vita).
3. ^ Edit, Fulbourn and the Wilbrahams | powered by Church. "Fulbourn and the Wilbrahams - History of Fulbourn churches".
4. ^ "Detailed Record".
5. ^ "saintpatrickdc.org".