Saint Saint Calminius

Calminius, also known as Calmin, founded three French abbeys in the 6th or 7th centuries AD: Mozac Abbey, in Puy-de-Dôme; Laguenne Abbey (near Tulle, Corrèze) and the abbey of Monastier-Saint-Chaffre. His Saint's day is August 19. His widow, Namadie (Latin: Namadia), became a nun at Marsat. Their remains were conserved in the abbey church at Mozac in the 12th-century Saint Calminius Reliquary. The Life of Saint Calmin is more a literary document than an historical record, in order to embellish the past of the founder of the Abbey of Mozac. By glorifying Calmin, the fame of the monastery is strengthened. His hagiographer seems to have exaggerated the titles of the founder of the abbey of Mozac. Indeed, the duchy of Aquitaine was later constituted in the 9th century. In the same way, the title of Count of Auvergne does not appear until around 980. Calminius is descended from a family of Roman origin who came to settle in Clermont. He holds the title of Duke of Aquitaine (Calminius dux Aquitaniæ) and Count of Auvergne and some possessions, however in the 7th century, the Auvergne is disputed between Franks and Aquitans. Calminius is initially a man of war, but he resolves to live in the austerity of religious life. From then on, he decides to build three monasteries. He began by going to the Velay mountains to the place called Le Villars, where he founded an oratory, Saint-Chaffre du Monastier. A few cenobites joined him, and the place became a real monastery which originally bore the name Calminiacum. Then he left for the bishopric of Limoges, where he began a hermit's existence. When he resurfaced, he founded his second monastery near Tulle. This establishment is more precisely called Laguenne. The people already consider him a "saint". But he prefers to end his days in Auvergne. Long before his death, he settled in Mozac, a place conducive to meditation since it is calm and abounds in water. He founded his last abbey there.