Romanus of Condat

Venerable Romanus of Condat was a hermit in the fifth century, born around 390, and died around 463 or 464. He is commemorated on 28 February.

At the age of thirty-⁠five he decided to live as a hermit in the region of Condat, in the Jura mountains. His younger brother Lupicinus followed him there. They became the leaders of a monastic community which included Eugendus.

Romanus and Lupicinus founded several monasteries: Condat, the nucleus of the later town of Saint-⁠Claude, Lauconne (later Saint-⁠Lupicin, because Lupicinus was buried there), La Balme (Baume) (later Saint-⁠Romain-⁠de-⁠Roche), where Romanus was buried, and Romainmôtier (Romanum monasterium), now in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. Romanus was ordained a priest in 444 by Hilary of Arles.

He lived before the separation of the Churches, and so he is venerated as a saint of the undivided Church.