ON ST. FREMERIUS, OR FERMERIUS, MARTYR, IN THE ABBEY OF ST. FREMERIUS O.S.B., DIOCESE OF BAZAS IN GAUL,
CommentaryFremerius or Fermerius, mart., venerated in the abbey of St. Fremerius, O.S.B., of the diocese of Bazas, in Gaul. (S.)
A church with an abbey dedicated to St. Fremerius: Du Saussay in the Gallican Martyrology has it thus at this day: At Bazas, the birthday of St. Fremerius, martyr, who, made a victim of piety, received from the Lord the crown of justice by a strong contest. About the cult of this Saint there is no doubt, since he has an abbey dedicated to his name in the diocese of Bazas. Of this abbey Mabillon makes mention in volume 5 of the Benedictine Annals, page 160, and there it is called of St. Fermerius. Denis de Sainte-Marthe, in volume 1 of Gallia Christiana, column 1217, treats of the same under this title: Abbey of St. Fremerius, St. Ferme, of the Order of saint Benedict: and has it thus: The abbey of Saint Fremerius or Fermerius, situated not far from the river Dropt and the town of Libourna (Libourne), is said to have been founded by Fremundus of Bordeaux. Then he relates that in the XI century it was subjected to the monastery of St. Florentius of Saumur, and subjoins: Nevertheless that monastery to this day has its own abbots, who glory in the use of pontifical vestments, and have pure and mixed jurisdiction in the town of St. Fremerius. That the church also was dedicated to St. Fremerius is clear from the catalogue of abbots which he subjoins: for of Leo II he says: He died in the year MDCC, and lies in the church of St. Fremerius. We have therefore both an abbey and a town and a church distinguished by the name of St. Fremerius. But neither about his deeds, nor about the time at which he lived, have I been able to find even the least.
[2] In the praised Du Saussay, in the Martyrology of St. Savinus of Lavedan, at XXX August these things are read: he seems to be the same as St. Fermerius, On the same day, the passion of St. Fermerius, martyr. Then at page 1252, from the monuments of the church of Poitiers, Du Saussay writes this of St. Fermerius: St. Fermerius (commonly St. Fraigne), whose birthday is celebrated on XXX August; and to his tutelage a priory of the Order of St. Benedict has been dedicated, and also a parish church in the district of Angoulême, of the diocese of Poitiers, where he is venerated on XXX August. Hence Chastelain inserted St. Fermerius at the same day into the Gallican Martyrology, as was also said by us on the same day among the Passed Over. Further, the vicinity of the places in which he is venerated in the territories of Bazas, Angoulême and Poitiers being considered, it does not seem to be doubted that the same Fermerius or Fremerius is venerated everywhere, especially since he is everywhere called martyr, while about his deeds there is profound silence. That opinion becomes more likely from Chastelain, who at page 705 in the Appendix at XXX August, after what he gives about St. Fermerius, adds the following: He was also called St. Frenir: whose translation is celebrated on the 1st day of October. Again at page 783, among the Aëmeri, he speaks thus of today's St. Fremerius: Fremerius (in French St. Ferme), patron of an abbey in the territory of Bazas (as said above), probably the same as St. Fermerius (in French St. Fraigne). That the French name has been so varied ought to move us little or not at all to doubling that Saint, since it is very well known how easily the names of the Saints are dislocated in various ways by the people.
[3] and perhaps he is also the same as St. Formerius. For the rest, at XXV September I treated of St. Formerius, who is venerated in the village of Vanares in Álava, a province of Spain, because his sacred relics have rested there for many centuries. Of the deeds of St. Formerius the Spaniards also know nothing: but they believe him a Martyr, and brought to them from elsewhere. Hence I warned there that he is perhaps the same as today's Fremerius or Fermerius, but that nothing can be said for certain. The said suspicion is favoured not only by the fact that the Spaniards believe their Formerius a foreigner, but even more by the fact that they have his body, since I find nothing about relics among the French. But, as I already warned there, conjectures of this kind are able indeed to raise a likely suspicion; but they are by no means sufficient to establish anything certain. Hence, leaving that doubt, we treated before separately of St. Formerius, and now of St. Fremerius or Fermerius.