Saint Who?
Saints Who Worked in Agriculture
Saint Fiacre
Religious († 670) Feast: August 30
Fiacre was born in Ireland in the 6th century. Some say he was the son of an Irish king. He was raised in a monastery, not an uncommon practice for the sons of nobles at the time, where he learned much about agriculture, especially gardening and herb lore. In time, he became a monk and helped many find healing, with both his prayer and his knowledge of medicine. But so many came to him that he had to flee to France to find solitude.
He joined the monastery of Saint Croix, near Paris, before obtaining permission to become a hermit. The bishop offered him land on his own estates. Fiacre built an oratory for Our Lady and a small hut for himself, and then turned to his garden, from which he was able to supply himself and any wanderers who needed hospitality. Eventually he was besieged with disciples and needy folk. This time he chose to stay and build. It is said the bishop offered him as much land as he could turn over in a day. With his staff and prayer, Fiacre ploughed all the space needed to house a new monastery.
Fiacre died in 670. He is a patron of gardeners, and the onguent du St Fiacre, used in plant grafting, is named for him. He is often represented with a book and a shovel.
Omnipotent Father, through the prayers
of Saint Fiacre, teach us to be
contemplatives in action.
