Venantius of Tours

Saint Venantius of Tours was a monk in the 5th century and later abbot of the basilica of Saint Martin at Tours in Gaul. We know his life from the chronicle of Gregory of Tours. He was born in Berry, into a Gallo-⁠Roman family of free Christians.

As a teenager he fell in love with a girl and was betrothed to her, which seemed to satisfy him. Before the wedding he went on pilgrimage to the tomb of Saint Martin and returned "shaken". He asked his betrothed for leave to break the engagement and went back to the basilica of Saint Martin, which housed a monastery, to become a monk. At the death of Abbot Silvinus, the brothers elected him abbot. Miraculous healings are told of him at his prayer.

According to Gregory of Tours, toward the end of his life he received spiritual gifts, as Saint Martin once had, and the gift of miracles; in return he waged open warfare with demons who appeared to him in visible form. Gregory calls him a man of marvelous holiness, at whose tomb many miracles were worked. He reposed around 499. He is commemorated on 13 October, by the Western calendar (new style). He is honored as a saint of the undivided Church.