Gerard of Lunel
Encyclopedia
Saint Gerard of Lunel (ca. 1275—1298), also known as Roger of Lunel and as Saint Géri (Gerius), was a French
saint
. Born to the French nobility, he became a Franciscan
tertiary at the age of five.
From his maternal grandfather, Raymond Guasselin, Gerard received half of the Barony of Lunel
, which consisted of 15 villages. When his grandfather died in 1294, Gerard received other assets that were administered by his father, since the future saint was underage at the time. In 1295, when Philip the Fair wished to possess a Mediterranean port, he offered to assume control over Lunel in exchange for the county of Roquefort, also situated in Languedoc
, but in the diocese of Avignon rather than Montpellier. Gerard thus became a count rather than a baron. When he was 18, however, Gerard wished to live in solitude as a hermit
. He and his brother Effrenaud (Effrendo) decided to live as hermit in two caves for two years.
According to his legend, when continuous rains swelled the river so much that the two brothers remained trapped in their cave and thus in danger of starving, two snakes carried bread to them. The rain then stopped, and Gerard and his brother traveled to a distant castle to receive communion
. The miracle became known, and many people visited Gerard in his cave.
Wishing to escape the fame that they were earning as a result of their apparent holiness, they decided to make a pilgrimage
to the Holy Land
. They spent two years in Rome, visiting its shrines and churches. In Rome, Gerard learned that there lived a holy man named Liberius at Ancona
, who had visited the Holy Land. Wishing to visit him, the two brothers began to travel in the direction of Ancona, but Gerard suddenly suffered a pain in his head.
Gerard suffered a collapse at Monte Santo (present-day Potenza Picena
), near Ancona
. Effrenaud, leaving Gerard in a cottage, went to get help but by the time he came back Gerard had died.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
. Born to the French nobility, he became a Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
tertiary at the age of five.
From his maternal grandfather, Raymond Guasselin, Gerard received half of the Barony of Lunel
Lunel
Lunel is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France. Lunel is located east of Montpellier and southwest of Nîmes .-History:The ancient Roman site of Ambrussum is located nearby. The troubadour Folquet de Lunel was from Lunel....
, which consisted of 15 villages. When his grandfather died in 1294, Gerard received other assets that were administered by his father, since the future saint was underage at the time. In 1295, when Philip the Fair wished to possess a Mediterranean port, he offered to assume control over Lunel in exchange for the county of Roquefort, also situated in Languedoc
Languedoc
Languedoc is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées in the south of France, and whose capital city was Toulouse, now in Midi-Pyrénées. It had an area of approximately 42,700 km² .-Geographical Extent:The traditional...
, but in the diocese of Avignon rather than Montpellier. Gerard thus became a count rather than a baron. When he was 18, however, Gerard wished to live in solitude as a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
. He and his brother Effrenaud (Effrendo) decided to live as hermit in two caves for two years.
According to his legend, when continuous rains swelled the river so much that the two brothers remained trapped in their cave and thus in danger of starving, two snakes carried bread to them. The rain then stopped, and Gerard and his brother traveled to a distant castle to receive communion
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
. The miracle became known, and many people visited Gerard in his cave.
Wishing to escape the fame that they were earning as a result of their apparent holiness, they decided to make a pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
to the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
. They spent two years in Rome, visiting its shrines and churches. In Rome, Gerard learned that there lived a holy man named Liberius at Ancona
Ancona
Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....
, who had visited the Holy Land. Wishing to visit him, the two brothers began to travel in the direction of Ancona, but Gerard suddenly suffered a pain in his head.
Gerard suffered a collapse at Monte Santo (present-day Potenza Picena
Potenza Picena
Potenza Picena is a comune in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region of Marche, located about 30 km southeast of Ancona and about 15 km northeast of Macerata.-External links:*...
), near Ancona
Ancona
Ancona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....
. Effrenaud, leaving Gerard in a cottage, went to get help but by the time he came back Gerard had died.