Foillan

Holy Venerable Martyr Foillan, an Irish monk and missionary, brother of Saints Fursey and Ultan, was killed by robbers around 655 in the forest of Soignes near Nivelles. He is venerated as a martyr and regarded as the evangelizer of Brabant. He is a saint of the undivided Church.

Foillan was the half-⁠brother of Saint Fursey (Fursa). Around 633 he left Ireland with him for East Anglia, where King Sigeberht gave them an old Roman fort at Cnobheresburg (Burgh Castle), in which they built a monastery, flourishing between 634 and 650. About 643 Fursey left to seek his brother Ultan, a hermit, and, seeing threats of invasion, went into Gaul, leaving Foillan in charge of the monastery. Around 651 King Penda of Mercia ravaged East Anglia; Foillan barely escaped with his life, ransomed the captive monks, put the holy books and relics on board ship and departed for Péronne in Neustria, where Fursey was buried.

There he was well received by Erchinoald, the Mayor of the Palace, but was later expelled and went to Nivelles, to Saint Itta and her daughter Saint Gertrude, the foundresses of the monastery there. Foillan seems to have been a bishop; he helped greatly in the organisation of worship, and his books and relics were a great treasure to the two women. Through Itta's generosity he built the monastery of Fosses-⁠la-⁠Ville in the province of Namur. After Itta's death in 652, one day he sang Mass at Nivelles on the eve of the feast of Saint Quentin and then went on toward his monastery; in the forest of Soignes he and his companions fell into a trap set by bandits, were slain and stripped, and his head, still speaking prayers, was thrown into a pigsty. Saint Gertrude recovered the bodies and took some relics, and his body was carried to the monastery of Fosses and buried about 655.

He is commemorated on 31 October, the liturgical date in the Orthodox calendar (the same day number on the old and new calendars).