William Firmatus
Encyclopedia
William Firmatus was a Norman
hermit
and pilgrim
of the eleventh century, now venerated as a saint
in the Catholic Church.
and a physician
of Tours
, France
. Following a spiritual prompting against greed, he gave away all his possessions to the poor. He lived a reclusive life with his mother until he entered a hermitage near Laval, Mayenne
. He spent the rest of his life on pilgrimage
s and as a hermit
at Savigny
and Mantilly
.
According to legend, he saved the people of Choilley-Dardenay
during drought
by striking the ground with his pilgrim's staff, which caused a spring
of water to bubble up. He died in 1103 of natural causes.
. This was so much so that the local people used to ask his help with animals that raided their crops. One particular story to this effect involves a wild boar
, which William is said to have led by the ear from a farmer's plot, instructing it to fast
for the night in a solitary cell.
The Little Bollandists
go on to record, along with the boar miracle, that
. The winner was Mortain
, which, to procure the relics, used the full force of "its entire clergy and an innumerable crowd of its people".
Saint William is also venerated
at Savigny and Mantilly. Catholic Encyclopedia
mentions William in its article on Coutances
, which accords him special honor as well, and mentions his patronage of the collegiate church of Mortain. He is a patron against headache
s.
, Saint William is often shown thrusting his arm into a fire. Also, he may be depicted with a raven, which is guiding him as a pilgrim to the Holy Land.
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
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...
and pilgrim
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...
of the eleventh century, now venerated as a 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...
in the Catholic Church.
Life
William Firmatus was a canonCanon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
and a physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
of Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
, 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...
. Following a spiritual prompting against greed, he gave away all his possessions to the poor. He lived a reclusive life with his mother until he entered a hermitage near Laval, Mayenne
Laval, Mayenne
Laval is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France.It lies on the threshold of Brittany and on the border between Normandy and Anjou. Its citizens are called Lavallois.-Geography:...
. He spent the rest of his life on 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...
s and 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...
at Savigny
Savigny
-In France:*Savigny, Manche, in the Manche département*Savigny, Haute-Marne, in the Haute-Marne département*Savigny, Rhône, in the Rhône département*Savigny, Haute-Savoie, in the Haute-Savoie département...
and Mantilly
Mantilly
Mantilly is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France....
.
According to legend, he saved the people of Choilley-Dardenay
Choilley-Dardenay
Choilley-Dardenay is a commune in the Haute-Marne department in north-eastern France....
during drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
by striking the ground with his pilgrim's staff, which caused a spring
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
of water to bubble up. He died in 1103 of natural causes.
Relationship with wild animals
William is especially noted for his love of wildlife and the unusual level of communication he seemed to have with animalsHuman-animal communication
Human–animal communication is the communication observed between humans and other animals, from non-verbal cues and vocalizations through to, potentially, the use of a sophisticated language.-Introduction:...
. This was so much so that the local people used to ask his help with animals that raided their crops. One particular story to this effect involves a wild boar
Boar
Wild boar, also wild pig, is a species of the pig genus Sus, part of the biological family Suidae. The species includes many subspecies. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig, an animal with which it freely hybridises...
, which William is said to have led by the ear from a farmer's plot, instructing it to fast
Fasting
Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. An absolute fast is normally defined as abstinence from all food and liquid for a defined period, usually a single day , or several days. Other fasts may be only partially restrictive,...
for the night in a solitary cell.
The Little Bollandists
Bollandist
The Bollandists are an association of scholars, philologists, and historians who since the early seventeenth century have studied hagiography and the cult of the saints in Christianity. Their most important publication has been the Acta Sanctorum...
go on to record, along with the boar miracle, that
Veneration
Upon William's death, three townships disputed possession of his remainsRelic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
. The winner was Mortain
Mortain
Mortain is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.-Geography:Mortain is situated on a rocky hill rising above the gorge of the Cance, a tributary of the Sélune.-Administration:Mortain is the seat of a canton...
, which, to procure the relics, used the full force of "its entire clergy and an innumerable crowd of its people".
Saint William is also venerated
Veneration
Veneration , or veneration of saints, is a special act of honoring a saint: an angel, or a dead person who has been identified by a church committee as singular in the traditions of the religion. It is practiced by the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic, and Eastern Catholic Churches...
at Savigny and Mantilly. Catholic Encyclopedia
Catholic Encyclopedia
The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...
mentions William in its article on Coutances
Coutances
Coutances is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.-History:Capital of the Unelli, a Gaulish tribe, the town took the name of Constantia in 298 during the reign of Roman emperor Constantius Chlorus...
, which accords him special honor as well, and mentions his patronage of the collegiate church of Mortain. He is a patron against headache
Headache
A headache or cephalalgia is pain anywhere in the region of the head or neck. It can be a symptom of a number of different conditions of the head and neck. The brain tissue itself is not sensitive to pain because it lacks pain receptors. Rather, the pain is caused by disturbance of the...
s.
Iconography
In artSaint symbology
Christianity has used symbolism from its very beginnings. Each saint has a story and a reason why he or she led an exemplary life. Symbols have been used to tell these stories throughout the history of the Church. A number of Christian saints are traditionally represented by a symbol or iconic...
, Saint William is often shown thrusting his arm into a fire. Also, he may be depicted with a raven, which is guiding him as a pilgrim to the Holy Land.