Baring-Gould’s sources: Usuardus, Gallican and Roman Martyrologies. — Authority: — Mention in the Lessons of the Rouen and Beauvais Breviaries.] S. Clarius, or Clair, was a native of Rochester, who, in the 9th century, quitted his country, after having been raised to the priesthood, and passed into Normandy. He fixed his residence in Le Vexin, in the diocese of Rouen, and lived there for several years a life of great seclusion and severity, S. Joannictis.

…imitating the Fathers of the Egyptian deserts. A woman of rank in the neighbourhood cast eyes of passion on him, and as he indignantly repulsed her advances, in a fit of revenge she sent two of her servants to murder him. His head was cut off. He is represented as carrying it. As he kept a watch on his eyes, and bashfully covered them with his hands when the lady cast her warm glances on him, he is often represented with one hand covering the eyes of the head he holds with the other hand. The place where he was assassinated bears his name, and has become a place of pilgrimage.

S. Clair is invoked by those affected with inflamed eyes. He is sometimes by error represented as a bishop, being mistaken for his namesake, a bishop of Nantes.