Saint Vaast or Waast or Gaston
celebrated on February 6
From the Latin
Vedastus Atrebatnsis - variations: Vedast, Vât, Waast,
Gast (Gaston, in the
objective case)
In English: Vedast,
Foster
In German :
Vedastus
In the north of France,
the V of Vedastus has tended to become a W giving Vaast, while in the south it
has undergone a morphological mutation towards G similar to how Vitus has
become Guy or Valantin was transformed into Galantin and Galantine. In a
similar way, Guillaume has become William.
Vedastus was
transformed into Gast or Wast and then into Gaston.
Saint Gaston or Vaast
or Waast appears to have been born to a wealthy family in Villac near Terrasson
in Périgrod, former province
of France. The parish
church is dedicated to him and a fountain is named in his honour.
After leaving his
parents he withdrew to Toul where he lived alone. But his reputation grew and
the bishop of Toul brought him into his fold. At this time, Clovis the First
fought against Germanic tribesmen who were undoubtedly attempting to undermine
the nascent French monarchy. Returning from battle, Colvis came by Toul where
he met Vaast who had the reputation of being a fervent believer. Clovis asked him for
instruction in matters relating to God. Vaast accepted and followed him. He
thus became the catechist of Clovis.
During the journey, while passing through the village of Rilly-aux-oies
(near Attigny, on the river Aisen, east of Rethel), Vaast restored the sight of
a blind man who happened to be near the king. The king was very impressed. Not
long afterwards he was baptised by St. Rémi who, while pouring water over him
said, “Bend your neck, O Sicambre, under the yoke of Jesus Christ, adore what
you have burned and burn what you have adored!” Three thousand Frank nobles
were baptised after him. This took place on December 25, 496.
While leaving Reims, Clovis recommended Vaast
to Saint Rémi, who sent him to instruct the local villagers. Then Rémi
consecrated him as Bishop of Arras in Artois.
But Arras had
suffered greatly because of the invasions of the Vandals and the Alains,
followed by the destruction inflicted on it by Attila in 450.
On entering Arras, Vaast cured a blind
man and then a lame man who asked him for alms. In this way he gained the
confidence of the Arrageois (or Artisans). But all the places constructed for
worship were in ruins, covered with brambles and providing refuge for wild
animals. Vaast began to cry and he prayed. At that moment, a bear emerged from
the ruins (the Legende Doré speaks of a wolf) but Vaast was not alarmed.
He implored the bear to not harm anyone. It became docile and followed him,
becoming his faithful companion. Some say that it was a she-bear. Vaast began
in earnest to reconstruct the religious buildings and to convert the habitants
of the surrounding region.
Clovis’s son, Clotarie the First, along with his court, took up Roman habits.
While in their bellicose mood, they spent much time in banquets and orgies.
Beer (cervoise) flowed freely and the participants always ended up
staggering drunk.
One day, a notable
named Ocine, (or Hozinus) invited Vaast to a feast he was giving for the king.
Vaast accepted, intending to put an end to what he considered scandalous
behaviour. As he entered the room he made the sign of the cross and all the
vases filled with beer broke. Vaast explained that the devil was hiding in
these vases and had fled while the beer spilt out
over the ground. Everyone was aghast in
the face of this wonder. Many were converted.
Saint Rémi then gave
Vaast the charge of governor of the diocese of Cambrai. (In 510) Arras and Cambrai were
united administratively and this lasted until the eleventh century.
Then Vaast turned his
attention to de Beauvaisis, where he rebuilt many churches and where
he performed numerous miracles.
He had become old and
ailing. On a cold winter’s night, his house in Arras went up in an immense blaze that rose
to the heavens. It lasted for two hours. Someone came to warn Vaast, who had
understood that his time had come to leave this earth. He died on February 6,
540.
Some time after his
death a fire erupted in Arras.
It threatened the whole town. A woman by the name of Abite invoked Saint Vaast.
She saw him appear. He put down the flames. The saint’s house was saved.
In the ninth century,
many of the Abbeys in Artois
sent sailors out to sea to catch fish. Those of the St. Vaast Abby were
required to pay two pennies for the right to cast their nets. They refused and
prayed to their patron saint. The boats sailed from the port and had great
difficulty getting back to dry land. Only those of Saint Vaast were able
to bring back enormous quantities of fish without any effort. In memory of this
miracle the sailors of Artois
still pay two pennies each year to the monks of the Abby of Saint Vaast.
In the manuscripts
that related the life of Saint Vaast, he is portrayed as being followed by a
bear.
The English venerate
Saint Vaast under the name of Foster (as in "foster parent").
This is where the name, Foster, comes from.
Vaast wished to be
buried in the small chapel that he had built by the side of the Crinchon River.
But the site was not considered very pretty and he was brought to the famous
Notre Dame cathedral.
Many of the churches
in the region are named after Saint Vaast and possess numerous artefacts. His bones are spread over Bailleul, Annezin, Wrugles, Vergies,
Fouquières-les-Lens, Lattre-Saint-Quentin, the home for the elderly of Aire,
Moreuil, (Amiens) Notre Dame de Saint Omer, Le Pas, Bienvillers au bois, the
Arras seminary, Laventie, Gonnehem, Fruges, Saint Vaast-la-Hougues, (Coutances)
les Bénédictines du Saint Sacrement d’Arras, Armentières, Saint Nicolas
d’Arras, Saint Pol.
In Saint Pol sur Ternoise, (62) there is a bas relief with a bishop and
a bear at his feet.
Inicio