Saint Sainte Céronne

Saint Ceronne is said to have lived in the 5th century. However, no historical source confirms this or provides any details of her life. The remains of Saint Ceronne were reportedly hidden for fear of invaders and then forgotten for three hundred years. It was not until the 9th century that the Bishop of Sées, Adelin, following visions, allegedly ordered excavations in an open field and discovered a sarcophagus containing Ceronne's body and an account of her life or a tablet mentioning the saint's name. The Latin Life of Saint Ceronne was written between the mid-11th century and the mid-12th century. Her cult was celebrated locally starting in the 19th century. Considered the earliest known Christian of the Perche region, she gave her name to the parish of Sainte-Céronne-au-Perche, which includes 25 communes, 27 churches, and has a population of approximately 12,500.