Feast November 1 | Name Saint Vigor Died 537 AD | |
 | ||
Venerated in Roman Catholic Church | ||
Saint Vigor (French: Saint Vigor, Vigeur; Latin: Vigor, Vigorus) (died circa 537 AD) was a French bishop and Christian missionary. An early vita was composed about 750-775, probably in Bayeux, where he had been bishop and was venerated from an early date. Born in Artois, he studied at Arras under Saint Vedast. His noble father, preoccupied with worldly prestige, would not grant approval for him to become a priest, so he ran away from home, taking nothing with him, accompanied by an accolyte, Theodimir. Thereafter, he became a hermit preacher at Reviers, Calvados, and worked as a missionary. Saint Vigor was named bishop of Bayeux in 514.
He fervently opposed paganism and founded a monastery, later known as Saint-Vigor-le-Grand. In Bayeux, Normandy, he destroyed a pagan temple that was still in use and built a church on the grounds.
Veneration
In Normandy, Vigor was venerated and churches are dedicated to him. Normandy was the site for the establishment of his cult after the successful Norman conquest of England. Two English churches have been dedicated to Vigor; one in Fulbourn, Cambridgeshire, the other in Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Somerset. His feast falls on All Saints Day (November 1), and as a result is often moved to another date. Saint Vigor is mentioned in the life (vita) of Saint Paternus.