Saint of the Day – 28 May – Saint Caraunus of Chartres (5th Century) Deacon Martyr, Missionary, Miracle-worker. Also known as – Caran, Carauno, Ceraunus, Cheron. Additional Memorial – 18 October (translation of Relics).
Although the precise date of the birth of Saint Caraunus is uncertain, hagiographic sources agree that it occurred in Rome in the 5th Century to a noble patrician family. His youth is shrouded in mystery, but it is assumed that he received an excellent education, typical of the Roman elite of the time.
A crucial event in his life was his conversion to Christianity. Embracing faith, Caraunus renounced the privileges and comforts of his aristocratic life to dedicate himself to spreading the Gospel.
Being Ordained as a Deacon, Carauno felt called to bring the Word of God to distant lands. He undertook a journey to Gaul, a region of modern-day France, where he preached Christianity with zeal and passion. His preaching touched several Cities, including Marseille, Lyon and Chartres.
News of his preaching reached the ears of some criminals who, blinded by greed, decided to ambush him. In a location not far from Chartres, where the village of Saint-Chéron stands today, Caraunus was attacked and barbarously killed.
The tomb of San Caraunus soon became a destination for pilgrimages. The faithful, attracted by the fame of his sanctity and by the miracles which occurred through his intercession, went to the place of Martyrdom to pray and ask for graces.
A Chapel was built over the tomb which became the nucleus of a flourishing Monastery, documented as early as the 9th Century. The monastic community prospered for centuries, preserving the memory and devotion to the holy Martyr. However, during the French Revolution, the Monastery was suppressed and the Monks dispersed.
The Relics of our Saint, saved during the revolutionary desecrations, were, in 1849, placed in the new Church dedicated to him. Even today, the memory of St Caraunus is venerated in the Diocese of Chartres and in some others, including that of Paris. His Liturgical Feast is celebrated today 28 May.
The devotion to St Caraunus is intertwined with a rich hagiographic tradition, narrated in a legendary Vita of the 9th Century. In it, historical elements are mixed with legendary ideas which also reflect the influence of other Saints’ lives. A fascinating 13th Century stained glass window, located in Chartres Cathedral, illustrates some scenes from the Saint’s legend, offering an artistic testimony to his veneration.
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