Vedast or Vedastus, also known as Saint Vaast (in

Flemish Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...

, Norman and Picard) or Saint Waast (also in Picard and Walloon), Saint Gaston in French, and Foster in

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

(died ) was an early bishop in the Frankish realm. After the victory of Tolbiac Vedast helped instruct the Frankish king Clovis in the Christian faith of his wife, Queen Clotilde. Opinions differ as to whether Remigius,

bishop of Reims The Archdiocese of Reims (traditionally spelt "Rheims" in English) ( la, Archidiœcesis Remensis; French: ''Archidiocèse de Reims'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastic territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in France. Erected as a diocese ...

, entrusted the diocese of Arras and

diocese of Cambrai The Archdiocese of Cambrai ( la, Archdiocesis Cameracensis; French: ''Archidiocèse de Cambrai'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in France, comprising the arrondissements of Avesnes-sur-Hel ...

to Vedast as is traditionally held, or if Vedast was more an itinerant bishop without a specific see.

Career

Vedast was probably born in the village of Villae in Périgord. As a young man, he moved to Toul, where the

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...

, taking notice of his many virtues, ordained him to the priesthood. Clovis, King of Franks, while returning from his victory over the Alemanni, was on his way to Rheims and contemplating baptism to the faith of his wife, Clotilde, and stopped at Toul to request some priest to instruct him on the way. Vedast agreed to accompany the king.Butler, Alban. "Saint Vedast, Bishop of Arras", ''The Lives of the Saints'', Vol.II, 1866
/ref> It is believed that in 499, Remigius named him the first bishop of Arras, France;Diocèse d'Arras
''Histoire du diocèse d'Arras''
Retrieved: 2016-09-02. around 510, he was also given oversight over Cambrai. However, more modern studies regard Vedast "...as an itinerant bishop who had no clearly defined bishopric."

Hagiography

Within Christian

sacred tradition Sacred tradition is a theological term used in Christian theology. According to the theology of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Assyrian churches, sacred tradition is the foundation of the doctrinal and spiritual authority ...

extraordinary healings were attributed to his intercession. One account says that while on the road to Rheims, they encountered a blind beggar at the bridge over the river

Aisne Aisne ( , ; ; pcd, Ainne) is a French department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. It is named after the river Aisne. In 2019, it had a population of 531,345. Jonas of Bobbio wrote a ''Vita Vedastis'' to promote the cult of Vedast at the cathedral in Arras. He "presents Vedast as the model ascetic-bishop for the new Columbanian monk-bishops who occupied many of the sees of

Neustria Neustria was the western part of the Kingdom of the Franks. Neustria included the land between the Loire and the Silva Carbonaria, approximately the north of present-day France, with Paris, Orléans, Tours, Soissons as its main cities. It late ...

after the unification of the kingdom under Chlothar II in 613."O'Hara, Alexander. "Jonas of Bobbio and the Legacy of Columbanus: Sanctity and Community in the Seventh Century", Oxford University Press, 2018, no pagination
/ref> The incident of expelling the bear from the city mirrors Columbanus expelling a bear from his hermitage at Annegray. A ''Vita'' of Vedast by

Alcuin Alcuin of York (; la, Flaccus Albinus Alcuinus; 735 – 19 May 804) – also called Ealhwine, Alhwin, or Alchoin – was a scholar, clergyman, poet, and teacher from York, Northumbria. He was born around 735 and became the student o ...

recounts a story that on one occasion, having spent the day in instructing a nobleman, his host would see him on his way with a glass of wine to sustain him, but found the cask empty. Vedast bid the servant to bring whatever he should find in the vessel. The servant then found the barrel overflowing with excellent wine.

Death and veneration

He died about 540 at

Arras Arras ( , ; pcd, Aro; historical nl, Atrecht ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department, which forms part of the region of Hauts-de-France; before the reorganization of 2014 it was in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. The historic centre of ...

; that night the locals reportedly saw a luminous cloud ascend from his house, apparently carrying away Vedast's soul. Vedast was buried in the old cathedral in Arras; his relics were later transferred to the new

Abbey of St. Vaast The Abbey of St Vaast (french: Abbaye de Saint-Vaast) was a Benedictine monastery situated in Arras, ''département'' of Pas-de-Calais, France. History The abbey was founded in 667. Saint Vedast, or Vaast (c. 453–540) was the first Bisho ...

founded in his honour in Arras. Vedast was venerated in Belgium as well as England (from the 10th century) where he was known as ''Saint Foster''. St. Vedast Church, Vlamertinge is named for him. The spread of his cult was aided by the presence of

Augustinians Augustinians are members of Christian religious orders that follow the Rule of Saint Augustine, written in about 400 AD by Augustine of Hippo. There are two distinct types of Augustinians in Catholic religious orders dating back to the 12th–1 ...

from Arras in England in the 12th century. Three ancient churches in England –

St Vedast Foster Lane Saint Vedast Foster Lane or Saint Vedast-alias-Foster, a church in Foster Lane, in the City of London, is dedicated to St. Vedast (Foster is an Anglicisation of the name "Vaast", as the saint is known in continental Europe), a French saint who ...

in London, and in

Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the Episcopal see, See of ...

and

Tathwell Tathwell is a village in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. Tathwell is situated approximately south from the market town of Louth. The hamlet of Dovendale, alongside the A153 road to the west of the village is in the paris ...

in Lincolnshire – were dedicated to him.Saint of the Day, February 6: ''Vedast of Arras''
''SaintPatrickDC.org''. Retrieved 2012-03-07. His feast is on 6 February.

Patronage

He is a patron saint invoked against eye trouble.

Notes

Bibliography

* * lcuin's life* * * etter of Avitus on Clovis' baptism* * onas

attribution

External links

Saint Vaast of Arras
at Saints.SQPN.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Vedast 450s births Year of birth unknown 540 deaths 6th-century Frankish bishops Bishops of Arras Bishops of Cambrai 6th-century Frankish saints