Valéric de Bernage

Who they were

Valerio, also called Valericus, Walericus, Valéry, Vaury or Valeric, was a sixth-century hermit born in the province of Reims in the time of King Clovis. Drawn by the miracles reported at the tomb of Saint Martial, he settled alone near Limoges, building a small cell which he left only to go to the church of Saint Julian or on pilgrimage to Saint Martial's tomb, and lived there in prayer and penance.

He died on 10 January in a year that is not recorded and was buried in the church of Saint Julian; a small monastery, dedicated to Saint-Vaury, was later founded on the site of his hermitage. His feast, kept locally at Limoges on 19 January and elsewhere on 8 July, was fixed in the Roman Martyrology at 10 January.

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

Sixth-century hermit near Limoges, also called Valeric; the Roman Martyrology gives his feast as 10 January.