Saint of the Day – 10 March – St Droctoveus (c530-c580) Abbot , disciple of St Germanus He was the first Abbot of the Benedictine Monastery which became the Church of Saint Germain-des-Pres in Paris. Born in c530 in Auxerre, France and died in c580 of natural causes. Also known as – Droctoveus of Paris, Droctoveus of Autun, Droctonius, Droctovée, Droctovius, Drote, Drottoveo, Drotté.
The Roman Martyrology reads: “At Paris, the decease of the Abbot, St Droctoveus, who was a disciple of the blessed Bishop, Germanus.”
The oldest account of Droctoveus’ life was written by his contemporary, the renowned Bishop and Poet, St Venantius Fortunatus in Chapter XI of his Carmina (Songs), who praised his holiness and virtues. A complete Vita was written of him but was unfortunately lost during the Norman raids. In the 9th Century, Gislemar, a Benedictine Monk of this house, collected from tradition and scattered memoirs the history of our Saint and this information was used by the Bollandists in their Lives of the Saints.
Droctoveus became a Monk and studied under St Germanicus (c 490-576 at St Symphorien Abbey at Autun. There a Rule was followed modelled upon that of the Solitaries of Egypt.
When St Germanus had become the Bishop of Paris and King Childebert had founded the Monastery of St Vincent (since called Saint Germain-des -pres) St Germanus being eminent for his learning and extraordinary spirit of mortification and prayer, was appointed the first Abbot of this house.
He ruled the Monastery until his death at the age of around forty-five “the embodiment (so the chroniclers describe him) of Christian and monastic perfection.”
His body is kept in that Abbey and he is honoured by the Church on the 10th of March.
AnaStpaul 