Saint Mommolin
Second abbot of Fleury-sur-Loire in the 7th century, Saint Mommole is famous for having organized the transfer of the relics of Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica from Monte Cassino to France. Renowned for his gentleness and total absence of anger, he died in Bordeaux in 677 during a monastic reform mission in Aquitaine.
Contemporaries
Figures and markers around the normalized period for this entry.
Guided reading
4 reading sections
SAINT MOMMOLE, CONFESSOR,
The translation of the relics of Saint Benedict
Under divine order, Mommole organizes the transfer of the remains of Saint Benedict from Monte Cassino, devastated by the Lombards, to the Abbey of Fleury.
Saint Mommole , second abbot of Fleury-sur-Loir e (Loiret), is famous for his monastic virtues, but above all for the incomparable treasure he procured for France; we speak of the body of Saint Bened ict, which r ested at Monte Cas sino (Terra di Lavoro). The Lombards, who were ravaging Italy, having destroyed the monastery of Monte Cassino, Mommole received from heaven the order to have the remains of the holy patriarch, exposed to profanation, transported to Fleury. He entrusted this affair to Aiguighe, his disciple, who was later a bbot of Saint-Honorat d e Lérins, in the former diocese of Grasse, the current diocese of Fréjus. The latter, under the guidance and with the help of God, successfully carried out this mission.
Virtues and final journey to Aquitaine
Renowned for his exceptional gentleness, Mommole traveled to Aquitaine at the end of his life to reform a monastery before falling ill in Bordeaux.
The life of Saint Mommole was adorned with every kind of virtue; but nothing equaled his kindness and gentleness. He confessed, at the point of death, that, with the help of God, he had never been troubled by the slightest movement of anger. To add new laurels to the crown that awaited him in heaven, he came, though burdened with years, to Aquitaine, with the intention, it is believed, of reviving the spirit of regularity in a monastery that had been placed under the dependence of the Abbey of Fleury. But he fell ill in Bordeau x, and d ied in the monastery of Sainte-Croix, of the Order of Saint Benedict, where they lavished upon him, as the rule of this Order required, all the care of the most charitable hospitality. The monks had him piously buried.
Death, miracles, and cult in Bordeaux
Died in 677, he was buried at the Sainte-Croix Abbey in Bordeaux, where his tomb became a site of miraculous healings.
His tomb soon became the destination of a religious pilgrimage, because of the miracles that occurred there. The possessed, the paralyzed, the crippled, and the sick of all kinds obtained their healing there by praying to God through the intercession of Saint Mommole. He died in the fifth year of the reign of Clovis II (677), as indicated by an epitaph engraved on a marble slab and fixed to the wall next to his tomb. His feast is celebrated in the diocese of Bordeaux under the double rite on August 8.
Iconography and sources
The saint is depicted with a reliquary recalling his role in the transfer of the relics of Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica.
He is depicted holding a reliquary in his hand. This is to recall that it was he who brought the relics of Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica to France.
*Proper of Bordeaux.*
Iconography
Signs and attributes
Entities
Narrative network
The names, places, and concepts most present in the entry, weighted by centrality in the text.
The supernatural in their life
The miracles of Saint Mommolin
Frequently asked questions about Saint Mommolin
Who was Saint Mommolin?
Second abbot of Fleury-sur-Loire in the 7th century, Saint Mommole is famous for having organized the transfer of the relics of Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica from Monte Cassino to France. Renowned for his gentleness and total absence of anger, he died in Bordeaux in 677 during a monastic reform mission in Aquitaine.
What is Saint Mommolin the patron saint of?
Patronage of Saint Mommolin: Fleury Abbey.
What is Saint Mommolin invoked for?
Saint Mommolin is invoked for: demoniacs, paralytics, paralysis and all kinds of illnesses.
How is Saint Mommolin depicted in Christian art?
In iconography, Saint Mommolin is recognizable by: reliquary in hand.
What miracles are attributed to Saint Mommolin?
1 miracle are attributed to this saint, notably: Healing and Exorcism.
Which saints were contemporaries of Saint Mommolin?
Contemporaries include: Saint Priest (Prix), Saint Gregory the Great (Pope and Doctor of the Church), Saint Die (Didier, Deodat) and Saint Augustine of Canterbury.
When did Saint Mommolin die?
Saint Mommolin died around 677.
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Election as second abbot of Fleury-sur-Loire
- Received a heavenly command to transfer the remains of Saint Benedict
- Organization of the mission to translate relics from Monte Cassino
- Journey to Aquitaine to restore monastic regularity
- Died at the monastery of Sainte-Croix in Bordeaux