Saint of the Day – 30 June – Saint Ostian (6th Century) Priest, Confessor and Hermit in Viviers, France, Miracle-worker. Patronages – Viviers, France, for rain (most especially in Viviers). Also known as – Ostianus, Ostiane, Ostiano, Hostien.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “In the territory of Viviers, St Ostian, Priest and Confessor.”
“Living in the 6th Century, Ostian first evangelised the Dioceses of Viviers and Le Puy. He was then a Hermit near Viviers. The 16th Century handwritten Martyrology mentions him in these terms: ‘in the territory of Viviers, in the Church of St Martin of the Couspié valley, one mile north of the City, at the foot of the mountain of the Tour St Martin, the body of the blessed Ostian, Priest, rests to this day.’ His Relics were solemnly brought to the Cathedral on 19 August 1880. He is the Patron of the City of Viviers.” ( Diocese of Viviers: Consecrated life. He is celebrated on 30 June in the Calendar of the Diocese of Viviers).
We have very limited information of our Saint Ostian. He is believed to have been a relative of Sigismund, the King of Burgundy.
After distributing all his possessions, Ostian is said to have followed the King’s son, Saint Venantius, who was the Bishop of Viviers. The Bishop, wanting to fulfill Ostian’s wish, is said to have granted him ownership of a piece of land in the Couspier valley, at the foot of Mount Bayna, where the Saint lived for 15 years. During these 15 years, it is believed he performed various miracles, including the cures of some blind people. Below is his little stone Chapel where he lived and preached and spread the Gospel, evangelising the region and confessing Christ to all who had ears to hear.
In the 9th Century, Bishop Bernoin (851-874) made a first survey of the Relics of Saint Ostian. And, in the 18th Century, it was believed that his body was in the Church of St Martin di Couspiè. In 1711, in the annotations of the resolutions of the City Council, was presented that the “request for a Procession and Solemn Mass at the Church of Saint-Martin to put an end to the drought, in honour of Sant’Ostian.”
The stone Sarcophagus containing his bones was found in 1869. After these Relics were declared authentic, on 19 August 1880, some bones were transferred to the Cathedral of Viviers and deposited in the Chapel of the Holy Relics. The rest of the Relics had been left in the original restored crypt of the Chapel of Saint-Ostian in San Martin.
The inhabitants of Viviers traditionally invoke Saint Ostian to obtain rain in times of drought. Although the first to introduce the name of this saint in a martyrology was Usvardo, while in Vivers, in some Liturgical records of the 14th and 15th Centuries, his memory was remembered. Currently, Saint Ostian, Priest and Confessor, is remembered and celebrated today, 30 June.
The Town called Saint-Hostien (Sant Ostian in Occitan) is part of the Saint Régis en Mézenc-Meygal Parish complex of the Diocese of Puy.
AnaStpaul 