Walaric

Over the years, Walaric had jumped from a few monastic places such as the abbey of Autumo, [[abbey of Saint-Germain d’Auxerre]], and finally the [[abbey of Luxeuil]] in [[Auxerre]], France, where after a childhood of studying and being surrounded by the church’s influence, he decided to become a practicing monk. When at the abbey of Luxeuil, Saint Walaric began to study under the Irish holy man [[Columbanus]], who previously had been exiled by King [[Theuderic II]]’s grandmother Brunhild.<ref>Palmer, James.  ”Merovingian Worlds.”

Over the years, Walaric had jumped from a few monastic places such as the abbey of Autumo, [[abbey of Saint-Germain d’Auxerre]], and finally the [[abbey of Luxeuil]] in [[Auxerre]], France, where after a childhood of studying and being surrounded by the church’s influence, he decided to become a practicing monk. When at the abbey of Luxeuil, Saint Walaric began to study under the Irish holy man [[Columbanus]], who previously had been exiled by King [[Theuderic II]]’s grandmother Brunhild.<ref>Palmer, James.  ”Merovingian Worlds.”

Cambridge University Press, 2025.</ref> During the time of being with Columbanus, Walaric followed his teachings and Columbanus posed as a mentor for the saint. Under Columbanus, he worked to help the monk establish monastaries and spread Christianity through [[Gaul]] by roaming the land and interacting with the people there.<ref>Wood, Ian. ”The Merovingian Kingdoms 450-751”. Routledge, 2014.</ref> It is believed Walaric, as a close disciple of Columbanus, had a very primary role in this evangelizing mission by making disciples who would go on to make even more disciples. While being at the Columbanus’ monastery, Saint Walaric practiced his horticulture skills by growing and preserving his vegetables and fruit, while also finding ways to exterminate the insects that would harm his crops.<ref>Farmer, David Hugh. “Walaric (Waleric, Valery) (d. 620)”, ”The Oxford Dictionary of Saints”, 5th rev. ed. (Oxford University Press, 2011), p. 441.</ref>[[File:Abbaye de Saint-Valery-sur-Somme dans Monasticon Gallicanum.jpg|thumb|Walaric’s abbey in the 17th century|283x283px]]During his time in the abbey of Luxeuil, Saint Walaric met a man named Waldelenus, whom not much is known of, but what history provides is that Waldelenus was a prominent Luxovian monk and was a probable member of the Waldeleni, a group of monks known for founding monasteries. Waldelenus and Columbanus had the help of Saint Walaric with this foundation, as Saint Walaric was already an experienced, practicing monk and was around his fifties at the time of this foundation.<ref>Fox, Yaniv. ”Power and Religion in Merovingian Gaul: Columbanian Monasticism and the Frankish Elites”. Cambridge University Press, 2014. </ref> Saint Walaric’s monastery in Luxeuil fell under the ”Columbanian Rule”, rather than the ”[[Benedictines|Benedictine]] Rule,” which had appeared around the same time, and later came to be the order that inhabited the monastery. Though the Columbanian Rule historically has been difficult to characterize, its presence greatly impacted politics and religion in the early times of Christianity in continental Europe.<ref>Palmer, James T. ”Merovingian Worlds.” Cambridge University Press, 2024.</ref> The ”Columbanian Rule’s” few historical characteristics were the lack of a hierarchical structure, the absence of an official rule to abide by, and the importance of political structure in its system, soemthing in which Columbanus had taught and taken advantage of throughout his monasteries. These ground rules show a strong basis for someone such as Walaric, who was born of a relatively modest upbringing and was able to succeed in the church later in his life. His ties with Columbanus could also be seen as political and religious advantages due to his power and reach among royalty in Merovingian Gaul”’.”’ Around the same time as the foundation of Leuconay, Walaric and Waldelenus preached in [[Neustria|Neustira]] for a very short time. After a couple of years of preaching, Saint Walaric grew tired of this traveling lifestyle in his old age and decided to settle as a hermit near the mouth of the river Somme. During the last days of Saint Walaric’s life, he spent most of his time on a little hill near Leuconany. It is said he spent his remaining days here until on a Sunday, Saint Walaric died, his body resting on a tree. The exact year of Saint Walaric’s death is unknown, but alleged to be around 619 AD.<ref>Farmer, David Hugh. “Walaric (Waleric, Valery) (d. 620)”, ”The Oxford Dictionary of Saints”, 5th rev. ed. (Oxford University Press, 2011), p. 441.</ref>

Cambridge University Press, 2025.</ref> During the time of being with Columbanus, Walaric followed his teachings and Columbanus posed as a mentor for the saint. Under Columbanus, he worked to help the monk establish monastaries and spread Christianity through [[Gaul]] by roaming the land and interacting with the people there.<ref>Wood, Ian. ”The Merovingian Kingdoms 450-751”. Routledge, 2014.</ref> It is believed Walaric, as a close disciple of Columbanus, had a very primary role in this evangelizing mission by making disciples who would go on to make even more disciples. While being at the Columbanus’ monastery, Saint Walaric practiced his horticulture skills by growing and preserving his vegetables and fruit, while also finding ways to exterminate the insects that would harm his crops.<ref>Farmer, David Hugh. “Walaric (Waleric, Valery) (d. 620)”, ”The Oxford Dictionary of Saints”, 5th rev. ed. (Oxford University Press, 2011), p. 441.</ref>[[File:Abbaye de Saint-Valery-sur-Somme dans Monasticon Gallicanum.jpg|thumb|Walaric’s abbey in the 17th century|283x283px]]During his time in the abbey of Luxeuil, Saint Walaric met a man named Waldelenus, whom not much is known of, but what history provides is that Waldelenus was a prominent Luxovian monk and was a probable member of the Waldeleni, a group of monks known for founding monasteries. Waldelenus and Columbanus had the help of Saint Walaric with this foundation, as Saint Walaric was already an experienced, practicing monk and was around his fifties at the time of this foundation.<ref>Fox, Yaniv. ”Power and Religion in Merovingian Gaul: Columbanian Monasticism and the Frankish Elites”. Cambridge University Press, 2014. </ref> Saint Walaric’s monastery in Luxeuil fell under the ”Columbanian Rule”, rather than the ”[[Benedictines|Benedictine]] Rule,” which had appeared around the same time, and later came to be the order that inhabited the monastery. Though the Columbanian Rule historically has been difficult to characterize, its presence greatly impacted politics and religion in the early times of Christianity in continental Europe.<ref>Palmer, James T. ”Merovingian Worlds.” Cambridge University Press, 2024.</ref> The ”Columbanian Rule’s” few historical characteristics were the lack of a hierarchical structure, the absence of an official rule to abide by, and the importance of political structure in its system, in which Columbanus had taught and taken advantage of throughout his monasteries. These ground rules show a strong basis for someone such as Walaric, who was born of a relatively modest upbringing and was able to succeed in the church later in his life. His ties with Columbanus could also be seen as political and religious advantages due to his power and reach among royalty in Merovingian Gaul”’.”’ Around the same time as the foundation of Leuconay, Walaric and Waldelenus preached in [[Neustria|Neustira]] for a very short time. After a couple of years of preaching, Saint Walaric grew tired of this traveling lifestyle in his old age and decided to settle as a hermit near the mouth of the river Somme. During the last days of Saint Walaric’s life, he spent most of his time on a little hill near Leuconany. It is said he spent his remaining days here until on a Sunday, Saint Walaric died, his body resting on a tree. The exact year of Saint Walaric’s death is unknown, but alleged to be around 619 AD.<ref>Farmer, David Hugh. “Walaric (Waleric, Valery) (d. 620)”, ”The Oxford Dictionary of Saints”, 5th rev. ed. (Oxford University Press, 2011), p. 441.</ref>

== Valerian Prophecy ==

== Valerian Prophecy ==