Saint Germà de Besançon

Germanus of Besançon (Gaul, 4th century – Grandifonte, 407?) was the bishop of the city of Vesontio (modern-day Besançon). He is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church, with his feast day on October 11. Germanus was the twelfth bishop to occupy the see of Besançon. It is only known that he died in 407 at the ancient site of Grandifonte near the city. Miracus states that he fought against heresy, primarily Arianism; he was murdered by an Arian while praying. According to legend, he was decapitated, but he stood up and carried his head in his hands to Baume-les-Dames, where he collapsed and was buried, and his remains began to be venerated. At the tenth milestone from Besançon, at the place known as La Palma where he had been buried, a female monastery was founded. Its nuns later followed the Rule of Saint Benedict until it was destroyed by the Avars around 600. The monastery, later known as the Abbey of Baume-les-Dames, gave rise to the town of the same name.