Saint of the Day – 6 October – Saint Pardulf (c658-c738) Founder Abbot of the Abbey of Guéret, Hermit, Miracle-worker. Born in c658 in Sardent, France and died in c738 at his Abbey in Guéret. Patronages – of the blind, painful eyes and eye ailments, cattle breeders, of Limoges, France. Also known as – Pardoux, Pardulfus, Pardulphus, Pardolf, Pardolfo.
St Pardulf’s Vita writtenin around 750 by a Monk of his Abbey. He was born in Sardent, fifteen kilometers south of Guéret, to a peasant family. When caught in a thunderstorm, he was injured and momentarily blinded by a falling tree, while several companions were killed. This event led him to devote himself to God and he soon acquired a reputation as a man of holiness, living soley for God and a miracle-worker.
After some hesitation, he agreed to become the first Abbot of a Monastery which the Count of Limoges, Lanterius, had built in Guéret. He set an example for his disciples through an austere life and, performed many miracles there.
After the battle of Poitiers (732), the Monks of Guéret fled, terrified by the Saracens who were devastating the regopm bit Pardulf remained alone with a companion and the Saracens did not dare enter the Monastery; the Monks returned shortly afterwards, very contrite for their cowardice and amazed by their Abbot’s bravery.
Pardulf died on 6 October c737/8 at the age of eighty and was buried in the Monastery Church. Many miracles occurred at his tomb. In the 9th Century the Abbey was destroyed by the Normans and Pardulf’s remains were dispersed: some Relics are venerated in Guéret and others in Arnac.
His Feast Day, fixed on 6 October, appears in the Liturgical books since the 10th Century. His cult has had a great diffusion in Limousin, Quercy, Poitou and Corrèze. Twenty-two communes bear his name, sometimes altered to Perdoux, Perdon or Pardon.
Because of his temporary blindness and many miracles reported of cures for eye ailments by his intercession, he is particularly invoked against diseased eyes and the sick bathe their eyes with water from the Fountains called “of San Pardulf.”
AnaStpaul 