Saint Foillan
![[Saint Foillan]](saintf60.jpg "??kb jpg detail of a painting of Saint Foillan at the church of Saint-Nicolas du Roeulx, l'abbaye Saint-Feuillien, Fosse, Belgium, artist unknown; if you have information on this image, please email me; please do not write to ask about the image")
- Also known as
-
Faelan;
Faillan;
Faolan;
Feuillien;
Foalan;
Foelan;
Foillan of Fosses
- Memorial
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16 January in Fosses;
31 October in Namur;
5 November in the dioceses of Mechlin and Tournai
- Profile
- Brother of Saint Fursey and Saint Ultan.
Travelled with them from Ireland to England c.630 where they worked as missionaries, and established a monastery near Yarmouth.
Abbot of the community at Cnoberesburg, Suffolk in 640's, a house founded by his brother Fursey.
During a war between the Mercians and Anglo-Saxons c.650, the house was destroyed, the brothers killed, captured or dispersed.
Foillan ransomed back his brothers, collected the surviving relics, books and liturgical equipage from the house, and travelled to France.
He and his brothers were welcomed and encouraged in their evangelization by King Clovis II.
Foillan founded a monastery at Fosses, diocese of Liege, c.653 on land donated by Saint Itta of Nivelles and Saint Gertrude of Nivelles.
He served as its abbot, and the area around it grew to the modern town of Le Roeulx, Belgium.
Chaplain and spiritual director at the house founded by Saint Gertrude.
Evangelized the Brabants in the region.
Popular preacher and devoted pastor to his people.
Murdered with three companions on the road by bandits; as he was travelling on Church business, he is often considered a martyr.
His remaining brother, Saint Ultan, then took over as abbot of Fosses.
- Born
- 7th century Ireland
- Died
- murdered 31 October 655 in the forest near Nivelle;
bodies found three months later;
buried at the abbey of Fosses
- Canonized
- Pre-Congregation
- Patronage
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children's nurses;
dentists;
Fosses, Belgium;
surgeons;
truss makers
- Representation
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Irish bishop with a palm of martyrdom;
carrying hot coals in his vestment for incense;
kneeling, pierced by a spear;
one of a group of travellers beaten with a club;
praying before the church while the city burns;
refusing the cup at the table of Pepin to show his refusal of worldly things;
with a crown at his feet to indicate his disdain for worldly things;
with a sword and palm of martyrdom
- Additional Information
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Google Directory
L'Abbaye Saint-Feuillien [francais]
Daughters of Saint Paul
Kirken i Norge [norwegian]
Catholic Encyclopedia, by L van der Essen
For All The Saints, by Katherine Rabenstein
Ecole Glossary, by Karen Rae Keck
New Catholic Dictionary
- Translate
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español | français | deutsch | italiano | português
- Readings
- Pagan robbers bestowed upon thee the crown of martyrdom, O righteous Foillan, for thy life was a reproach to the impious and cruel men.
Having laboured with thy holy brother, our Father Fursey, in East Anglia and later in the Netherlands, pray to God for us, we beseech thee, that both in word and deed our lives may be a missionary witness, that we may be found worthy of His great mercy.
-Orthdox dismissal hymn on the feast of Saint Foillan
