Saint of the Day – 28 May – Saint William of Gellone (755-812) Monk

Saint of the Day – 28 May – Saint William of Gellone (755-812) Monk, Knight and cousin of Charlemagne, Count of Toulouse, Duke of Aquitaine, Founder of a Monastery, where he retired and finally died. Born in 755 in France and died in 812 of natural causes in the Monastery later renamed “Saint William in the Desert” in his honour. Also known as – William in the Desert, William of Aquitaine, William of Orange, William of Toulouse, Willliam Fierabrace, Guglielmo…, Guillaume…, Marquis au court nez. William was Canonidrf in 1066 by Pope Alexander II.

The Roman Martyrology reads: “In the Monastery of Gellone in Narbonne Gaul, now in France, Saint William, a Monk, who, a personality of absolute prestige in the Emperor’s Court, united with Saint Benedict of Aniane by a deep bond of affection, wore the monastic habit with great honesty of morals.”

William was born in northern France in the mid-8th Century,to Thierry IV, Count of Autun and his wife Aldana. They wereclose relatives of Charlemagne. As a kinsman and trusted Knight, he spent his youth in the court of Charlemagne.

He was regarded as the exemplar of Christian Knighthood. He was named Duke of Aquitaine and chosen to lead a campaign against the Saracens in southern France. He defeated the Islamic Saracens in this campaign. Throughout his military career, he displayed exemplary chivalry and was honoured as the ideal Knight.

However, he gave up the sword and became dedicated to the promotion of the Faith. William founded a Monastery at Gellone, near Aniane and with Charlemagne’s permission, entered the cornmunity as a Monk and eventually William died there. When he died, the bells at Orange rang of their own accord.The Abbey was later renamed Saint Guilhem-du-Desert in his honour.

Gellone remained under the control of the Abbots of Aniane. It became a subject of contention, however, as the reputation of William grew. So many pilgrims were attracted to Gellone that his corpse was exhumed from the modest site in the narthex and given a more prominent place under the choir. The Abbey was a major stop for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela.

William was also the subject of several medieval romances, including “La Prised Orange – The Prized Orange” and Aliseans. He was Canonised in 1066.