St. Medard Day is June 8 – Will We Get 40 Days of Rain?

St. Medard Day is June 8, pronounced in Cajun French as "Sam-e-da".

Ever heard of it? Well, learn up, because it could mean 40 days of rain.

St. Medard Day is June 8

St. Medard Day, observed on June 8, honors St. Medard, a 6th-century French bishop known for his piety and miracles.

Born around 456 in Salency, France, he became the bishop of Noyon and was renowned for his evangelism and care for the poor.

St. Medard is also the patron saint of farmers, prisoners, and people with mental illness, and he is often prayed to for protection against bad weather, particularly rainstorms.

His feast day is celebrated with various local customs and festivals in parts of France, reflecting his enduring legacy in the region.

According to www.saints.sqpn.com:

Legend says that when he was a child, Medard was once sheltered from the rain by a hovering eagle. This is his most common depiction in art, and led to his patronage of good weather, against bad weather, for people who work the fields, etc.

 

Legend has it that if it rains on his feast day, the next 40 days will be wet; if the weather is good, the next 40 will be fine as well. He was also depicted as laughing aloud with his mouth wide open; this led to his patronage against toothache.

Medardus

St. Medard is sometimes referred to as St. Medardus, as well as simply Medardus.

Medardus was ordained at the age of 33 and became bishop of Vermand at 74 despite initially objecting to it.

Saint Medardus went on to become of the most honored bishops of his time.

Hopefully, we'll make it through St. Medard Day without any rain...then we'll have to pay attention to St. Swithin's Day.