Saint
Beatus of Cerbi
A saint venerated in the Catalan Pyrenees, of around 1001.
Uncertain source. We are looking to verify this information as soon as we can.
- Era
- 11th century
Life
Beatus of Cerbi (Beado) is a saint venerated locally in the Àneu Valley in the Catalan Pyrenees, whose story has reached us only through popular tradition. Scholars regard him as a legendary figure, and his name does not appear in any martyrology or official calendar.
According to the legend he was a French pilgrim on his way to Santiago de Compostela. A great storm forced him to stop in a cave near Cerbi, and the people of the district climbed up to him with food, asking for counsel and spiritual help. His advice helped many and miracles were ascribed to him. After his death the villagers built the hermitage of Sant Beado beside the cave; it dates from the first half of the 11th century.
He is venerated by the faithful of the region, without synodal canonization. Each year the farmers used to give a sheaf of wheat to the hermitage, and from it small loaves were made and distributed at the saint's gathering, to which healing powers were attributed.