Saint Gerard de Lunel
Saint Gerard de Lunel (born c. 1275 AD in Lunel, Languedoc, France; died April 24, 1298 AD in Montesanto, Marche, Italy) was a French nobleman who renounced his wealth, became a pilgrim, and died in poverty and holiness at the town of Montesanto (Monte Santo) in the Italian Marche while on pilgrimage to various shrines. He is venerated locally in the Diocese of Fermo and in Montesanto (now Potenza Picena). His feast day is April 24.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Gerard de Lunel
| Saint Gerard de Lunel | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | April 24 |
| Profession | Nobleman; pilgrim; lay penitent; poor man |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Third Order Franciscan (tradition) |
| Patronage | Potenza Picena (Montesanto), Marche; pilgrims; noblemen who renounce wealth; the poor |
| Attributes | Pilgrim's staff and hat; noble dress renounced for pilgrim's garb; lily (purity); lamp |
| Birthplace | Lunel, Languedoc, France |
| Death Place | Montesanto (now Potenza Picena), Marche, Italy |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes; died of illness while on pilgrimage at Montesanto (Potenza Picena), Italy, April 24, 1298 |
| Primary Shrine | Sanctuary of Saint Gerard de Lunel, Potenza Picena (Montesanto), Marche, Italy — his body; the principal cult site; pilgrimage destination in the Marche |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman Calendar; feast April 24; observed in Diocese of Fermo and Potenza Picena |
| Historic Class | Not in universal 1962 calendar |
Biography
Gerard was born around 1275 into a noble family in Lunel, a town in the Languedoc (southern France) on the Mediterranean coast between Montpellier and Nîmes. As a young man he renounced his aristocratic wealth and inheritance, following the widespread medieval ideal of contemptus mundi (contempt for worldly things) that was particularly strong in 13th-century Languedoc — the world of the Cathar controversy and the Franciscan and Dominican renewal movements.
He became a wandering pilgrim, traveling to various sacred shrines. During one of his pilgrimages through central Italy he arrived at the town of Montesanto (now Potenza Picena) in the Marche region on the Adriatic coast. He was exhausted and ill, having traveled in deliberate poverty. He died there on April 24, 1298, as a poor stranger.
The townspeople buried him, and soon miraculous cures were reported at his tomb. His body was found to be incorrupt. A local cult of veneration grew rapidly. Pope Clement XIV formally recognized the pre-existing cult in 1770.
Potenza Picena (which retained the name Montesanto until 1862) adopted him as patron. His shrine in the town remains a site of pilgrimage.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Lunel, Languedoc, France
Death location: Montesanto (now Potenza Picena), Marche, Italy
Notable location: The place of his death and burial; his relics are venerated here; the church and shrine to him are in this small Adriatic coastal town (renamed Potenza Picena in 1862); he is patron of the town and diocese (Montesanto (Potenza Picena), Marche, Italy)
Notable location: His birthplace in the Languedoc; he came from a noble family here; renounced his noble status to become a pilgrim (Lunel, Hérault, Languedoc, France)
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Sanctuary of Saint Gerard de Lunel, Potenza Picena (Montesanto), Marche, Italy — his body; patron shrine of the town; principal pilgrimage site.
Feast day
April 24
Veneration
Saint Gerard de Lunel is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church with a feast day on April 24, observed in the Diocese of Fermo and in Potenza Picena, Marche, Italy.
Prayers
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