Betton of Sens

Who they were

St. Betto, bishop of Auxerre, was born in Burgundy, the son of one Alberic and of his wife Angela, and professed as a monk in the monastery of St. Columba at Sens. On account of his piety and learning he was elected abbot of the monastery of St. Heraclius at Auxerre, and some time after prior of St. Columba, over which the prince-abbot Richard presided. With the consent of the latter, he extended the buildings of the monastery, adorned the shrines of Ss. Lupus and Columba and built a strong wall against the Norman invaders. He was raised to the see of Auxerre after the death of Bishop Gerannus, and even as bishop observed the practices of monastic life. He shared his meals with twelve poor persons, whom he daily admitted to his table, and had some edifying book read during the repast to debar useless and trivial conversation. After ruling the church of Auxerre for three or four years he died on the 24th of February 918 and was buried in the church of St. Germain in his episcopal city.

The miracles

There was never a formal cause: he has been honoured as a saint since before the Church's formal processes began.

Why that counted as sanctity

A Benedictine Martyrology (1922) remembers him on 26 February.