Saint Erembert of Le Pecq

Having become bishop, he applied himself with the greatest care to the practice of religion, chastity, humility, and continence, studying the divine Scriptures with diligence and seeking to harmonize his preaching with his works. Thus, like a brilliant torch, he shone in the house of God through the light of his examples. His virtue was confirmed by miracles, among which we must report one more brilliant than all the others.

Erembert had left his episcopal city to see his homeland and the relatives he had left there again. He arrived at Viocourt (an ancient village in the territory of Poissy). During his stay in this place, a terrible fire broke out; the fire, spreading from house to house, threatened to destroy the entire village, and all efforts seemed useless to extinguish it. The neighbors, despairing of mastering it, implored Erembert to pray to God for them. Now, there was in this place a basilica dedicated to Saint Sat urnin, martyr. The prelate was in prayer in this oratory when the cries of the frightened multitude and the repeated blows with which they struck the doors of the temple reached him. The help of heaven did what human means could not do. Erembert was touched by the evils and complaints of the crowd; then taking his pastoral staff, he presented it to the flames, and continued his prayer. Immediately the wind that threatened to spread the fire to the entire village calmed down, and, losing all its violence, the fire went out. Tears were succeeded by joy, and sadness gave way to gratitude.

Around this time (circa 668), Erembert retired to the monastery of Fonten elle, of w hich Lambert was then abbot; he lived there for some time in great holiness, and reached an extreme old age. It was there that he died on May 14, 678. He had retained the title of Bishop of Toulouse until th e end of his life. His body was placed in the lower part of the church of Saint-Paul of Fontenelle. In 704, Saint Bain, the fifth abbot of this place, transferred it to the apse of the same basilica, and adorned his sepulcher with a semi-circular crown that formed a kind of dome above the tomb. The body of the holy bishop rested for several years in the church of Saint-Paul: an immense concourse of people took place at his tomb and a great number of miracles were performed there.

At the beginning of the 11th century, Gerard, Abbot of Fontenelle, having found the body of Saint Erembert amidst the ruins of the church of Saint-Paul, transported it to the neighboring one, that of Saint-Pierre, where it remained until its translati on to Abbeville. The church of Saint-Saturnin of Fontenelle was situated on a hill, outside the monastery, towards the north. It was there that the relics of the first bishop of Toulouse were first placed. After the death of Erembert, the pastoral staff of the holy bishop, with which he had stopped the fire, was brought there. The oratory of Saint-Saturnin having been destroyed, this staff as well as a garme nt of Sa int Erembert were carried to Druyères, a village in the diocese of Toulouse. It is reported that there existed in this place a priest whose life was not very regular, and that having wished to clothe himself in the garment of Saint Erembert, he was immediately seized with a burning fever from which he could only be delivered by prayers to the holy bishop. These precious relics were later transported again to Fontenelle.

Excerpt from the History of the Church of Toulouse, by Abbé Salvan.

Excerpt from the History of the Church of Toulouse, by Abbé Salvan.