Germerius, St.
GERMERIUS, ST.
Statesman, abbot; b. Vardes, France, c. 610; d. Saint-Germer-de-Flay, c. 660. Of noble Frankish blood, he served as a statesman at the court of Dagobert I and Clovis II. Upon the advice of St. ouen, bishop of Rouen, Germerius (or Germier) founded the monastery of Isle (now Saint-Pierre-aux-Bois). As was somewhat customary in his day, he left a secular career and the married state to embrace the religious life, entering the monastery of Pentale (now Saint-Samson-sur-Risle), where he became abbot. Because of misunderstandings with his flock he left the abbey and pursued the eremitic life for five years, then he founded the Abbey of Flay (now Saint-Germer-de-Flay), where he was again made abbot.
Feast: Sept. 24.
Bibliography: Acta Sanctorum Sept. 6:692–708. j. mabillon, Acta sanctorum ordinis S. Benedicti 2:455–462. Monumenta Germaniae Historica: Scriptores rerum Merovingicarum 4:628–633. j. l. baudot and l. chaussin, Vies des saints et des bienheureux selon l'ordre du calendrier avec l'historique des fêtes (Paris 1935–56) 9:496–498. a. butler, The Lives of the Saints (New York 1956) 3:628–629. g. marsot, Catholicisme 4:1891–92.
[o. l. kapsner]