Psalmodius

Saint Psalmodius, also known as Psalmet, Sauman, Saumay,^[1] was a 7th-century Christian hermit. Assumed to have been born to a noble family of Scotia,^[4] he became a disciple of Saint Brendan as a young boy. Psalmodius, whose original Celtic name is unknown,^[5] is said to have been lost at sea (perhaps the Atlantic Ocean^[5]) for three days as a young boy.^[5]

According to the legend, Psalmodius had fallen asleep on the beach, and was resting on a small raft during a day in which he had been playing with his friends. He was swept out to sea, and, encircled by large waves, he prayed for divine assistance; God raised an island in the ocean to prevent the young boy from drowning.^[3]

Gaufredus (Geoffroi), a cenobite of the Abbey of Saint Martial, Limoges, wrote an account of Psalmodius’ life, and writes that Psalmodius was a contemporary of St. Gregory the Great.^[5]

According to this account of Psalmodius' life, St. Brendan convinced Psalmodius to journey with him to Gaul, and around 630 AD, they arrived at Saintonge, where they were received by , bishop of Saintes.^[3] Psalmodius became a student of Leontius.^[4] Leontius subsequently advised Psalmodius to take up a life of solitude and contemplation.^[6]

Psalmodius became a hermit in a small cell in the forest of or Grie, in the Limousin near Eymoutiers.^[4] He acquired the name of Psalmodius (his original Celtic name is unknown) because he loved to sing psalms.^[6]

Numerous miracles were attributed to Psalmodius.^[6] As a hermit with a reputation for sanctity, Psalmodius is said to have had power over wild beasts and demons.^[6] He restored a blind woman to sight and healed the Duke of Aquitaine's daughter, who had been bitten by a viper.^[6] Once, a wolf ate the donkey that Psalmodius used to carry burdens; Psalmodius ordered the wolf to replace the donkey as his beast of burden (a similar tale is told of Saint Romedius).^[3] He also rescued a man who had been swallowed up by a snake.^[3]

It is said that Psalmodius died on the Ides of June (i.e. the middle of June), but the actual year is unknown.^[6]

Veneration[]

When Psalmodius died, he was buried on the banks of the Vienne River. A church was built over his tomb; later a monastery was attached to it. The monastery was at the foot of the hill (“ayen-moutiers”), a description that turned into the place-name of Eymoutiers.

Psalmodius’ relics were placed in a silver shrine at the collegiate church associated with the monastery of Eymoutiers.^[6]

An ancient Breviary associated with the diocese of Limoges includes the feast days of Psalmodius and Anthony of Padua, listed on 13 June.^[5] Psalmodius’ Office was celebrated under a , and the saint’s name appears in the Kalendar of Limoges, in the Menology of , in the Martyrology of , in the work of Ferrarius, in the work of Simon Martin, in the work of the Bollandists, and in the work of the .^[6]

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