Sigiramnus
Encyclopedia
Saint Sigiramnus was an abbot and confessor of the 7th century. A nobleman of Berry
, he studied at Tours
and then joined the royal court of Clothaire II. He served as cup-bearer but always wore a hair-shirt underneath his garments, devoting himself to prayer.
His father, count of Bourges
(and later bishop of Tours), wanted Sigiramnus to marry the daughter of a nobleman.
Refusing to marry, Sigiramnus took holy orders at the church of St. Martin at Tours in 625 AD, serving as archdeacon
at Tours
. He refused to gain high position in the secular world, and after his father died, he gave away his goods and money to the poor; he was locked away as a lunatic for this.
In 640, after he was released, he made a pilgrimage
to Rome
with Flavius, an Irish
bishop. According to one account, as they crossed the diocese of Tours, he insisting on working in the fields with the serfs after he was “seized with compassion at the peasants covered with dust and sweat.”
When Sigiramnus returned to France
, he founded two monasteries with land given to him by Clothaire in the diocese of Bourges: Saint-Pierre de Longoret (Longoretum, Lonrey) and Méobecq
(Millepecus), in the forest of Brenne
.
Longoret was later renamed Saint-Cyran-du-Jambot
after him. He served as abbot of Longoret until his death in 655 AD.
The monastery of Saint-Cyran was dissolved in 1712. Jean du Vergier de Hauranne
(1581–1643), known as the Abbé of Saint-Cyran, took his title from this monastery.
Sigiramnus’ relics were kept at the abbey of Saint-Cyran until 1860, when Eugénie de Montijo
, Empress consort of the French, encased them in a reliquary
and gave it to the church of Saint-Michel-en-Brenne
.
Berry (province)
Berry is a region located in the center of France. It was a province of France until the provinces were replaced by départements on 4 March 1790....
, he studied at 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...
and then joined the royal court of Clothaire II. He served as cup-bearer but always wore a hair-shirt underneath his garments, devoting himself to prayer.
His father, count of Bourges
Bourges
Bourges is a city in central France on the Yèvre river. It is the capital of the department of Cher and also was the capital of the former province of Berry.-History:...
(and later bishop of Tours), wanted Sigiramnus to marry the daughter of a nobleman.
Refusing to marry, Sigiramnus took holy orders at the church of St. Martin at Tours in 625 AD, serving as archdeacon
Archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
at 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...
. He refused to gain high position in the secular world, and after his father died, he gave away his goods and money to the poor; he was locked away as a lunatic for this.
In 640, after he was released, he made 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 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...
with Flavius, an Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
bishop. According to one account, as they crossed the diocese of Tours, he insisting on working in the fields with the serfs after he was “seized with compassion at the peasants covered with dust and sweat.”
When Sigiramnus returned to 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...
, he founded two monasteries with land given to him by Clothaire in the diocese of Bourges: Saint-Pierre de Longoret (Longoretum, Lonrey) and Méobecq
Méobecq
Méobecq is a commune in the Indre department in central France.-References:*...
(Millepecus), in the forest of Brenne
Brenne
Brenne has the following meanings:* An historical region in the south of the Berry of France* A regional natural park, the Parc naturel régional de la Brenne in the Indre département of France...
.
Longoret was later renamed Saint-Cyran-du-Jambot
Saint-Cyran-du-Jambot
Saint-Cyran-du-Jambot is a commune in the Indre department in central France.Saint-Cyran’s origins lie with a monastic foundation first founded by Saint Sigiramnus in the 7th century. The foundation was first known as Saint-Pierre de Longoret but was later named after its founder...
after him. He served as abbot of Longoret until his death in 655 AD.
Veneration
A life of Sigiramnus was written in the ninth or tenth centuries; the author of this Life claims to have compiled it from an earlier text.The monastery of Saint-Cyran was dissolved in 1712. Jean du Vergier de Hauranne
Jean du Vergier de Hauranne
Jean du Vergier de Hauranne, Abbé of Saint-Cyran was a French monk who introduced Jansenism into France.In the early 17th century, Jean du Vergier de Hauranne studied theology at the Catholic University of Leuven...
(1581–1643), known as the Abbé of Saint-Cyran, took his title from this monastery.
Sigiramnus’ relics were kept at the abbey of Saint-Cyran until 1860, when Eugénie de Montijo
Eugénie de Montijo
Doña María Eugenia Ignacia Augustina de Palafox-Portocarrero de Guzmán y Kirkpatrick, 16th Countess of Teba and 15th Marquise of Ardales; 5 May 1826 – 11 July 1920), known as Eugénie de Montijo , was the last Empress consort of the French from 1853 to 1871 as the wife of Napoleon III, Emperor of...
, Empress consort of the French, encased them in a reliquary
Reliquary
A reliquary is a container for relics. These may be the physical remains of saints, such as bones, pieces of clothing, or some object associated with saints or other religious figures...
and gave it to the church of Saint-Michel-en-Brenne
Saint-Michel-en-Brenne
Saint-Michel-en-Brenne is a commune in the Indre department in central France.-References:*...
.