Genius

Saint Genius (in French Gény, in Latin Huginius) is a saint of the end of the third century, born and died at Lactora, today Lectoure in France. He is venerated locally by the Catholic and the Orthodox Church, and his commemoration falls on 12 May.

According to the legend, he was born into a noble Christian family. A priest, Celsus, foretold to his mother, Clara, that he would live in holiness. He lived as a hermit on the heights of Sainte-⁠Croix, south of Lectoure. The prefect of the city of Augusta Auscorum (today Auch) sent soldiers to arrest him, but a sudden flood of the river Gers stopped them; when they reached him they listened to him and all were converted. Returning to Auch, they were put to death. The prefect sent other soldiers, but they found Genius peacefully reposed. His tomb lies at the end of the necropolis, and Bishop Heuterius performed his burial service. It is told that miracles took place at the tomb: the blind regained their sight.

The legend is late and seems to have been put together from the tenth century, with the founding of the monastery of Saint-⁠Gény; secure historical sources are lacking, and the veneration is local. The monastery church, from the sixteenth century, was given in 2000 to a Serbian Orthodox community, which restored it to service. He is a saint of the undivided Church, without synodal canonization.