Saint Drogo
Encyclopedia
Saint Drogo (1105– April 16, 1186), also known as Dreux, Drugo, and Druron, was a French
saint. He was born in Epinoy, Flanders, and died in Sebourg
, France
. His feast day is on April 16.
nobility. His mother died when he was born. He learned the reason for her death, and it emotionally crushed him. He held himself responsible. So later in his life he went to extreme penances, perhaps to relieve his guilt. Drogo was orphaned when he was a teenager.
At age eighteen, he rid himself of all his property and became a penitential pilgrim
. As a pilgrim he traveled to Rome
about nine or ten times. He became a shepherd for about six years working in Sebourg, near Valenciennes
. He was working for a lady named Elizabeth de la Haire.
Reportedly Drogo was able to bilocate
, which refers to the ability to maintain one's actual presence in two totally different places at the same time. Witnesses claimed seeing Drogo working in fields simultaneously, and going to mass
every Sunday.
During a pilgrimage he was stricken with unsightly bodily affliction. He became so terribly deformed that he frightened the townspeople. In his twenties, a cell was built for him to protect the local citizens of the village from his appearance. Since he was so holy, his cell was built attached to his church. St. Drogo stayed in his cell without any human contact, except for a small window in which he received the Eucharist
and obtained his food. He stayed there for the rest of his life, about forty more years, surviving only on barley
, water, and the holy Eucharist.
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. He was born in Epinoy, Flanders, and died in Sebourg
Sebourg
-References:*...
, France
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...
. His feast day is on April 16.
Life
Drogo was a child of the FlemishFlemish people
The Flemings or Flemish are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons...
nobility. His mother died when he was born. He learned the reason for her death, and it emotionally crushed him. He held himself responsible. So later in his life he went to extreme penances, perhaps to relieve his guilt. Drogo was orphaned when he was a teenager.
At age eighteen, he rid himself of all his property and became a penitential pilgrim
Pilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
. As a pilgrim he traveled to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
about nine or ten times. He became a shepherd for about six years working in Sebourg, near Valenciennes
Valenciennes
Valenciennes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies on the Scheldt river. Although the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded...
. He was working for a lady named Elizabeth de la Haire.
Reportedly Drogo was able to bilocate
Bilocation
Bilocation, or sometimes multilocation, is a term used to describe the ability/instances in which an individual or object is said to be, or appears to be, located in two distinct places at the same instant in time...
, which refers to the ability to maintain one's actual presence in two totally different places at the same time. Witnesses claimed seeing Drogo working in fields simultaneously, and going to mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
every Sunday.
During a pilgrimage he was stricken with unsightly bodily affliction. He became so terribly deformed that he frightened the townspeople. In his twenties, a cell was built for him to protect the local citizens of the village from his appearance. Since he was so holy, his cell was built attached to his church. St. Drogo stayed in his cell without any human contact, except for a small window in which he received the Eucharist
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...
and obtained his food. He stayed there for the rest of his life, about forty more years, surviving only on barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
, water, and the holy Eucharist.