January 23: feast of Saint Barnard

Céline Arétin, in charge of cultural, women's and environmental topics, January 23, 2025

Who was Saint Barnard?

Saint Barnard, also known as Barnard of Romans, was Archbishop of Vienne, in Isère, in the 9th century. Born in 778 into a noble Frankish family, he played an important role in spreading Christianity and reforming religious institutions under the reign of Charlemagne. In 837, he founded the abbey of Romans-sur-Isère, dedicated to Saint Peter, which became an important religious center. After his death in 841, he was quickly venerated as a saint. The feast of Saint Barnard, celebrated on January 22, recalls his role in strengthening the Church in Gaul.

Miracles associated with Saint Barnard

After his death in 841, his tomb in the church of Ambronay became a center of pilgrimage where miracles were reported. A farmer named Étienne, paralyzed after a fall, reportedly regained the use of his legs after praying at Saint Barnard's tombstone. A barren woman, identified as Mathilde in the monastic chronicles, reportedly conceived a child after drinking water blessed in his name. These accounts were recorded by monks who compiled his miracles in a "Vita," a manuscript that circulated in neighboring abbeys. In 1903, under the pontificate of Pius X, his cult was officially recognized by decree, confirming his inclusion in the liturgical calendar.

Celebrations and popular traditions

Every January 23, the relics of Saint Barnard, kept in a chiseled silver reliquary dating from 1662, are carried in procession in Ambronay. This procession includes stops at places such as the old Saint-Barnard fountain, where blessings of the water are performed. A local practice has farmers place sheaves of wheat at the foot of the reliquary, hoping for an abundant harvest, a custom dating back to the Middle Ages. During Mass, the choir of the Ambronay church resounds with liturgical chants, including the hymn "O Barnarde Sanctissime," composed in the 13th century and sung exclusively for this occasion. Some residents still prepare a traditional cake, the "Barnardet," a pastry shaped like an abbot's crosier, shared with family after the ceremony.

Saint Barnard in art and literature

In religious iconography, frescoes can be found in the church of Ambronay showing him surrounded by the poor and by monks, highlighting his charity and his role in monastic reform. A sculpture of Saint Barnard also adorns the entrance to the abbey of Ambronay, created in the 17th century, where he is shown blessing pilgrims. In literature, his hagiography, written in the Middle Ages by monks of his order, recounts episodes of his life, such as his struggle to preserve Church lands against local lords.