Clair of Beauvais

Clair of Beauvais (Clair of Normandy, Clarus of Rochester) was a Benedictine monk originally from Kent, apostle of Normandy and martyr in the Vexin, at Saint-⁠Clair-⁠sur-⁠Epte. He was born in 845 and died in 884. He is venerated in the Western Church; he is commemorated at Saint-⁠Clair-⁠sur-⁠Epte on 16 July, elsewhere on 18 July (a German source gives 4 November).

According to tradition, he was born at Rochester in England, around 845, into a very noble family close to the royal one. Destined for a brilliant career, he fled in 866 from the marriage his father wanted to impose on him. He crossed the Channel with his best friend and inseparable companion, Cyrin, and settled first in the Manche, as a hermit at Nacqueville near Cherbourg, then spent two years at Donville-⁠les-⁠Bains, where he founded a small monastery, before moving on to Valognes. He also left traces at Saint-⁠Lô, Vire, Carentan and in the pays d'Auge. In 870 he was ordained priest by Sigenand, bishop of Coutances. His movements seem to be explained by the need to flee the vengeance of the woman he had refused to marry; he wished to remain unknown, but his reputation for holiness betrayed him. Several places bear his name. The Norman raids of the time may be linked to his wanderings.

After more than fifteen years, Clair and Cyrin set up their hermitage in the Vexin, at the place called Pré du Paradis, on the bank of the river Epte. In 884, the same source says, he was beheaded with Cyrin by killers sent by the woman he had refused to marry. For this reason he is often shown as a cephalophore saint, said to have carried his head to the neighboring spring, which has since been miraculous, curing eye diseases. Another variant says only the top of his skull was cut off. From the 10th century the cult developed at Saint-⁠Clair-⁠sur-⁠Epte, with a Benedictine priory beside the village church. The church keeps his shrine; part of the relics are said to have been taken by the church at Gisors. The cult spread throughout Normandy, with dozens of churches and chapels.