Saint Audomar (died 670), better known as Saint Omer, was a

bishop of Thérouanne 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 ...

, after whom nearby

Saint-Omer Saint-Omer (; vls, Sint-Omaars) is a commune and sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department in France. It is west-northwest of Lille on the railway to Calais, and is located in the Artois province. The town is named after Saint Audoma ...

in northern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

was named.

Biography

He was born of a distinguished family of

Coutances Coutances () is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. History Capital of the Unelli, a Gaulish tribe, the town was given the name of ''Constantia'' in 298 during the reign of Roman emperor Constantius Chloru ...

, then under the Frankish realm of

Neustria Neustria was the western part of the Kingdom of the Franks. Neustria included the land between the Loire and the Silva Carbonaria, approximately the north of present-day France, with Paris, Orléans, Tours, Soissons as its main cities. It late ...

, towards the close of the 6th or the beginning of the 7th century. After the death of his mother, he entered with his father the abbey of Luxeuil in the Diocese of Besançon, probably about 615. Under the direction of Eustachius, Omer studied the

Scriptures Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They differ from literature by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, mythologies, ritual pra ...

, in which he acquired remarkable proficiency.O'Boyle, Francis. "St. Omer." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 11. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 31 Dec. 2012
/ref> When King Dagobert requested the appointment of a bishop for the important city of

Thérouanne Thérouanne (; vls, Terenburg; Dutch ''Terwaan'') is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. It is located west of Aire-sur-la-Lys and south of Saint-Omer, on the D 157 and D 341 road junction. Loca ...

, the capital of the ancient territory of the

Morini The Morini (Gaulish: "sea folk, sailors") were a Belgic coastal tribe dwelling in the modern Pas de Calais region, around present-day Boulogne-sur-Mer, during the Iron Age and the Roman period. Name They are mentioned as ''Morini'' by Caesar ( ...

, he was appointed and consecrated in 637. Though the Morini had received

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global popula ...

from Saint Fuscian and Saint Victoricus, and later Antmund and

Adelbert Adelbert is a given name of German origin, which means "noble bright" or "noble shining", derived from the words ''adal'' (meaning noble) and ''berht'' (shining or bright). Alternative spellings include Adalbart and Adalberto. Related names include ...

, nearly every vestige of Christianity had disappeared. In 649 or 651, Audomar received twelve estates, including

Sithiu Saint-Omer (; vls, Sint-Omaars) is a commune and sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department in France. It is west-northwest of Lille on the railway to Calais, and is located in the Artois province. The town is named after Saint Audomar, ...

where he established three missionaries who came from Austrasia and spoke the local language. The Abbot of Luxeuil sent to his assistance several monks, among whom are mentioned

Saint Bertin Bertin ( la, Bertinus; 615 – ''c''. 709 AD), also known as Saint Bertin the Great, was the Frankish abbot of a monastery in Saint-Omer later named the Abbey of Saint Bertin after him. He is venerated as a saint by the Catholic and Orthodox Ch ...

, Saint Mommolin and Saint Ebertran. He founded the Abbey of Saint Peter (now the

Abbey of Saint Bertin The Abbey of St. Bertin was a Benedictine monastic abbey in Saint-Omer, France. The buildings are now in ruins, which are open to the public. It was initially dedicated to but was rededicated to its second abbot, . The abbey is known for its La ...

) in Sithiu, soon to rival the old monastery of Luxeuil for the number of learned and zealous men educated there. In 649 he erected the Church of Our Lady of Sithiu, with a small monastery adjoining, which he turned over to the monks of Saint Bertin, on condition that he would be buried at the site and that the church would serve as a burial place for the monks."The Collegiate Church and St. Bertin Abbey", Ghent University Library
/ref> The exact date of his death is unknown, but he is believed to have died about the year 670.

Veneration

The place of his burial is uncertain; most probably he was laid to rest in the church of Our Lady, later

Saint-Omer Cathedral Saint-Omer Cathedral (''Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Saint-Omer'') is a Roman Catholic former cathedral, a minor basilica, and a national monument of France, located in Saint-Omer. It was formerly the seat of the Bishop of Saint-Omer, but the see ...

, where there is a 13th-century

cenotaph A cenotaph is an empty tomb or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been reinterred elsewhere. Although the vast majority of cenot ...

dedicated to him. His feast is celebrated on 9 September.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Audomare, Saint 7th-century Frankish bishops Bishops of Thérouanne Audomare (Omer) Year of birth unknown 7th-century Frankish saints Colombanian saints