Saint Romanus of Condat

Romanus was born around 390 in the region of the Jura, in eastern Gaul, present-day France. Around the age of thirty-five, after spending time at a monastery in Lyon, he withdrew into the forests of the Jura mountains to live as a hermit at a place called Condat, taking with him the Lives of the Desert Fathers and a few tools.

His brother Lupicinus soon joined him, and so many disciples followed that the brothers founded several monasteries, including Condat and Lauconne, and a convent for women led by their sister. Romanus was gentle and merciful, while Lupicinus was stricter, and together they guided their communities with balance. Romanus was ordained a priest by Saint Hilary of Arles. Tradition recalls that he cared for lepers on a pilgrimage to the tomb of Saint Maurice. He died around 463. The abbey of Condat later took the name of Saint-Claude, and the town still bears it today.

The towns of Saint-Claude and Saint-Lupicin in the French Jura honor the founding brothers, and walking trails link the places of their monasteries.

His feast is a reminder of the many monks who carried faith, learning and farming into the forests of Europe.