Blessed Alpais of Cudot
Blessed Alpais of Cudot (born c. 1150 AD in Cudot, Yonne, France; died November 3, 1211 AD in Cudot, Yonne, France) was a French peasant woman who was stricken with leprosy at a young age and spent decades bedridden, nourished — according to the tradition of her cult — solely by the Eucharist. She became a renowned mystic and counselor whose wisdom attracted pilgrims including King Philip II Augustus of France. She was beatified by Pope Pius IX in 1874. Her feast day is November 3.
Stored in Cargo: Blessed Alpais of Cudot
| Blessed Alpais of Cudot | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | November 03 |
| Profession | Catholic laywoman; peasant; mystic; eucharistic faster; spiritual counselor |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Diocese of Sens; 12th–13th century French lay mysticism; eucharistic mystics tradition |
| Patronage | Cudot; Yonne; Burgundy; the sick and disabled; lepers; those nourished by the Eucharist; peasants and common people; those who suffer from disfiguring illness |
| Attributes | A bedridden peasant woman; Eucharistic host (her only nourishment); signs of leprosy or illness; a lily (purity); French countryside landscape; pilgrims approaching her bedside |
| Birthplace | Cudot, Yonne, France |
| Death Place | Cudot, Yonne, France |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; died November 3, 1211, at Cudot in the Yonne region of France; she was approximately 61 years old; she had been bedridden with leprosy since childhood and spent approximately 40 years confined to her bed, nourished solely by the Eucharist according to her hagiographic tradition; she died peacefully; her body was venerated and a church built at Cudot; beatified 1874 |
| Primary Shrine | Church of Cudot, Yonne, France — her tomb; November 3 feast; local pilgrimage |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman calendar; November 3 feast in Sens and Yonne region |
| Historic Class | Not in 1962 calendar |
Biography
Alpais was born c. 1150 in Cudot, a small village in the Yonne (Burgundy, France), to a peasant family. As a child she developed leprosy that progressively disabled her; by young adulthood she was bedridden.
According to her hagiographic tradition, she lived for approximately 40 years nourished solely by the Eucharist, without any ordinary food or drink. This claim attracted the attention of the Bishop of Auxerre and of King Philip II Augustus of France, who sent investigators.
Despite her poverty, illiteracy, and physical condition, she became a celebrated spiritual counselor whose wisdom drew pilgrims from across France, including royalty and nobility. Her teaching combined practical wisdom with mystical insight drawn from her long years of suffering united to the Passion of Christ.
She died November 3, 1211, at Cudot. She was beatified by Pope Pius IX in 1874.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Cudot, Yonne, France
Death location: Cudot, Yonne, France
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Dynamic content
Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Alpais of Cudot have been added to the database yet.
Media
No media found for this saint.
Shrines
Dynamic shrines
No results
No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
Known shrines
- Church of Cudot, Yonne, France — tomb; November 3 feast; local pilgrimage.
Feast day
November 3
Veneration
Blessed Alpais of Cudot was a 12th–13th century French peasant woman who became bedridden with leprosy and reportedly lived 40 years nourished only by the Eucharist. A renowned spiritual counselor visited by King Philip II Augustus of France. Beatified Pius IX 1874. Feast November 3.
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
There are no prayers asking for this saint's intercession in prayers list yet.