ST. SEVERINUS, of a noble family in Burgundy, was educated in the
Catholic faith, at a time when the Arian heresy reigned in that country.
He forsook the world in his youth, and dedicated himself to God in the
monastery of Agaunum, which then only consisted of scattered cells, till
the Catholic king Sigismund, son and successor to the Arian Gondebald,
who then reigned in Burgundy, built there the great abbey of St.
Maurice. St. Severinus was the holy abbot of that place, and had
governed his community many years in the exercise of penance and
charity, when, in 504, Clovis, the first Christian kin; of France, lying
ill of a fever, which his physicians had for two years ineffectually
endeavored to remove, sent his chamberlain to conduct him to court; for
he heard how the sick from all parts recovered their health by his
prayers. St. Severinus took leave of his monks, telling them he should
never see them more in this world. On his journey he healed Eulalius,
bishop of Nevers, who had been for some time deaf and dumb, also a leper
at the gates of Paris; and coming to the palace, he immediately restored
the king to perfect health, by putting on him his own cloak. The king in
gratitude distributed large alms to the poor, and released all his
prisoners.[1] St. Severinus returning towards Agaunum, stopped at
Chateau-Landon, in Gatinois, where two priests served God in a solitary
chapel, among whom he was admitted, at his request, as a stranger, and
was soon greatly admired by them for his sanctity. He foresaw his death,
which happened shortly after, in 507. The place is now an abbey of
reformed canons regular of St. Austin. The Huguenots scattered the
greatest part of his relics, when they plundered this church. He is
mentioned in the Roman Martyrology, and a large parish in Paris takes
its name from this saint, not from the hermit who was St. Cloud's
master.
Footnotes:
1. {Footnote not in text} See Le Boeuf, Hist. du Diocese de Paris, t.
1, p. 151, 157, and Le Fevre, Calend. Hist de Paris, p. 40{}.
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