Saint Fulcran (died 13 February 1006) was a French

saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of Q-D-Š, holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and Christian denomination, denominat ...

. He was

bishop of Lodève A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

Life

According to the biography by

Bernard Guidonis Bernard Gui (), also known as Bernardo Gui or Bernardus Guidonis (c. 1261/62 – 30 December 1331), was a Dominican friar, Bishop of Lodève, and a papal inquisitor during the later stages of the Medieval Inquisition. Due to his fictionalise ...

, himself bishop of Lodève (died 1331), Fulcran came of a distinguished family, consecrated himself at an early age to the service of the Church, became a priest, and from his youth led a pure and holy life.Kirsch, Johann Peter. "St. Fulcran." The Catholic Encyclopedia
Vol. 6. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909. 7 October 2021 When in 949 Theoderich, Bishop of Lodève, died, Fulcran, notwithstanding his unwillingness, was chosen as his successor and was consecrated by the

Archbishop of Narbonne The former Catholic diocese of Narbonne existed from early Christian times until the French Revolution. It was an archdiocese, with its see at Narbonne, from the year 445, and its influence ran over much of south-western France and into Cataloni ...

on 4 February of the same year. He was untiring in his efforts to conserve the moral life within his diocese, especially among the clergy and the religious orders; he rebuilt many churches and monasteries, among them

Lodève Cathedral Lodève Cathedral (french: Cathédrale Saint-Fulcran de Lodève) is a Roman Catholic church in Lodève, Hérault, southern France. The edifice is a typical example of local Gothic architecture. Lodève is an ancient town of Celtic origin, situate ...

, then dedicated to Saint

Genesius of Arles Saint Genesius of Arles (in French Saint Genès) was a notary martyred under Maximianus in 303 or 308. His Feast day is celebrated on August 25. He is honoured as the patron saint of notaries and secretaries, and invoked against chilblains and sc ...

but now to Saint Fulcran himself, and the church of Saint-Sauveur (the Holy Saviour) with an attached

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

monastery. The poor and the sick were the objects of his special care; for their support he founded hospitals and endowed others already existing. After administering his diocese for over half a century, he died in 1006.Monks of Ramsgate. "Fulcran". ''Book of Saints''
1921. CatholicSaints.Info. 6 May 2013

Veneration

After his death he was buried in Lodève Cathedral and honoured as a saint. His body, which had been preserved intact, was burned by the

Huguenots The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a Religious denomination, religious group of French people, French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss politica ...

in 1572, and only a few particles of his remains were saved. He is the second patron of the Diocese of Lodève, and his feast falls on 13 February. Lodève celebrates the ''Fête de St. Fulcran'' every year in May for a week, during which there is a carnival and other events.

References

External links

Fulcran
at the

Catholic Encyclopedia The ''Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church'' (also referred to as the ''Old Catholic Encyclopedia'' and the ''Original Catholic Encyclopedia'') i ...

SPQN.com: Fulcran
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fulcran 10th-century births 1006 deaths People from Hérault Medieval French saints Bishops of Lodève 10th-century French bishops 11th-century French Roman Catholic bishops 10th-century Christian saints