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Baldomer was a blacksmith of Lyons, living a simple, pious life, "in chastity clean, in friendship firm, in charity benign, in reading intent, in watchings solicitous, in almsgivin

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February 27 · Confessor

St. Baldomer

St. Baldomer

Baldomer was a blacksmith of Lyons, living a simple, pious life, "in chastity clean, in friendship firm, in charity benign, in reading intent, in watchings solicitous, in almsgivin

Traditional feast

February 27
1914 / pre-1969 calendar, per Baring-Gould (1897)

Current feast

Not verified yet

Represents

Confessor

Their story

Adapted in modern English from Alban Butler's Lives of the Saints · Baring-Gould original below · little is known

Galmier, in Latin Baldomerus, was a locksmith in Lyons who lived in poverty, gave his earnings and sometimes even his tools to the poor, and often said, 'In the name of the Lord let us always give thanks to God.'

Vivencius, abbot of St. Justus, gave him a cell in his monastery, and he died a subdeacon. His relics were scattered by the Huguenots in the sixteenth century. Butler gives about 650; Baring-Gould, the text on this page, gives about 660. The sources differ.

Early life

The book says little or nothing about early life. This is how the account begins.

Thin entry · the 1897 book gives only 153 words. We have not filled the gap with invented detail.

Baldomer was a blacksmith of Lyons, living a simple, pious life, "in chastity clean, in friendship firm, in charity benign, in reading intent, in watchings solicitous, in almsgiving prompt," says his biographer. S. Viventius, abbot of S. Just, going into a church one day, noticed the blacksmith at his devotions, and afterwards entering into conversation with him, was so struck with his holiness and knowledge of the Scriptures, that he gave him a cell in his abbey, where he edified all the brethren by his modesty and diligence. His gentleness was so great, that at meal times he crumbled bread in his hand, and, holding it out of the window, the wild birds came, full of trust, and perched on his fingers.

What they represent

How they teach us to live

Drawn from themes in the original account

Give to people in need. The account records care for the poor.

Feed your mind with Scripture and good books. Learning and the Scriptures matter in this life.

Build up the community you belong to. This life was lived with and for a community.

Read more

The full original · 153 words

Read Baring-Gould’s full account

Baring-Gould’s sources: Roman Martyrology, and those of Bede, Usuardus, Ado, Notker, &c. Authority:—An ancient epitome of his life, pub. by the Bollandists. In French he is called S. Garmier or S. Germier .

Baldomer was a blacksmith of Lyons, living a simple, pious life, "in chastity clean, in friendship firm, in charity benign, in reading intent, in watchings solicitous, in almsgiving prompt," says his biographer. S. Viventius, abbot of S. Just, going into a church one day, noticed the blacksmith at his devotions, and afterwards entering into conversation with him, was so struck with his holiness and knowledge of the Scriptures, that he gave him a cell in his abbey, where he edified all the brethren by his modesty and diligence. His gentleness was so great, that at meal times he crumbled bread in his hand, and, holding it out of the window, the wild birds came, full of trust, and perched on his fingers. Then he would say, "Eat, little birds, eat, and praise the Lord." He was ordained subdeacon much against his will, by Caudrick, bishop of Lyons, and died about the year 660.

Feast days

Feast: February 27

Nine days · Free

Pray the novena
with us.

One short email a day for nine days. The day's prayer, a line from St. Baldomer's story, and a nudge to keep going.

Also on February 27
Sts. Julian, Chronion and Besas

Sts. Julian

February 27 · Martyrs
G

St. Gelasius

February 27 · Martyr
St. Honorina

St. Honorina

February 27 · Virgin, Martyr
← All 1726 saints in the library
Sources & notes

Feast-day sources

Story sources

Sources

Credits

From Sabine Baring-Gould, The Lives of the Saints, new edition in 16 vols. (London: John C. Nimmo, 1897), digitized text from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.

From Sabine Baring-Gould, The Lives of the Saints, new edition in 16 vols. (London: John C. Nimmo, 1897), digitized text from Project Gutenberg. Public domain in the United States. Reproduced unedited, except for short bracketed notes in grey that we added to explain names and terms (“S.” is the old abbreviation for Saint). Some history and judgments reflect 19th-century scholarship.