Geraud, Saint

Geraud, Saint born at Aurillac about 855, of one of the most powerful families of Auvergne, was lord of the southern part of Upper Auvergne, and his domains extended nearly to Perigord and Aquitania. He devoted himself to the study of sacred. books, and finally desired to withdraw to a cloister and devote all his wealth to the Church of Rome, but was deterred from this by Gansbertus, bishop of Cahors. In 894 he founded, at Aurillac, a convent, under the control of the Benedictines, and attempted in vain the building of a cathedral. His piety led him to undertake numerous pilgrimages to the tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul. He is said to have made seven voyages to Rome, and to have traversed Upper Italy. Returning from one of these journeys, he died at St. Cirgues, near Figeac, October 3, 909, having freed all his slaves. His kindness and benevolence gained for him a great reputation, and legends attribute to him a great number of miracles, performed both during his life and after his death. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.