Saint-Yves

Saint Yves, also known as Saint Yves de Kermartin, is a Breton saint canonized by the Catholic Church. He was born in 1253 in the village of Kermartin in Brittany, France, and became a lawyer before becoming a priest. He spent his life helping the poor and downtrodden, and became known as the "defender of the poor".

Saint Yves was educated at the University of Paris, where he studied canon law. He became a lawyer and worked in Rennes, where he earned a reputation as a fair and just lawyer who defended the interests of the poor. He was also known for his commitment to equality and social justice.

Reliquary containing arelic of Saint Yves at Relics.es

In 1283, Saint Yves was ordained a priest and started working as a parish priest in Kermartin. He continued to advocate on behalf of the poor and oppressed, using his legal skills to help solve their problems. He also founded a brotherhood to help the poor and the sick.

Saint Yves became known for his generosity and kindness to the poor and downtrodden. He was venerated as a saint from his death in 1303, and was canonized by the Catholic Church in 1867. He is now considered the patron saint of Brittany and is celebrated annually on May 19.

He is also considered the patron of lawyers, jurists and notaries, and is often invoked to obtain justice and the protection of the rights of the less fortunate.

The chapel of Saint-Yves de Tréguier is a popular place of pilgrimage for the Bretons, who come to pray there and ask for the intercession of Saint Yves for just causes. He is also honored in many other churches and cathedrals in Brittany and other parts of France.

Saint Yves is a Breton saint canonized by the Catholic Church who spent his life helping the poor and oppressed. He is known as the "defender of the poor" and is revered as the patron of Brittany and of lawyers, jurists and notaries. Its chapel in Tréguier is a popular place of pilgrimage for the Bretons.

He died on April 19, 1303 and was buried in the Saint-Tugdual church in Tréguier.

During the following centuries, the Bretons continued to venerate therelics of Saint-Yves. In 1522, a chapel was built over his tomb in Tréguier. In 1619, a large altar was erected in his honor in the Saint-Tugdual church. In 1625 Saint Yves' body was exhumed and found to have remained incorrupt. The relics were transferred to a silver reliquary and displayed for the veneration of the faithful.

Over the following centuries, the relics of Saint Yves were transported to various churches and chapels in Brittany, where they were venerated by the faithful. In 1794, during the French Revolution, the relics were stolen and disappeared. There has been no news of their location since.

Despite the loss of the relics, the memory of Saint Yves continued to be celebrated in Brittany. Churches and chapels were built in his name, statues and paintings were erected to commemorate him. He remains a very popular saint in Brittany, where he is considered a symbol of justice and integrity.

• "La Vie de Saint Yves de Kermartin" par Armel de Guébriant. Vie des Saints, Éditions de la Société des Bollandistes, 1867.

• "Saint Yves de Kermartin : Avocat et Prêtre" par Henri de la Croix. Histoire des Saints de Bretagne, Éditions Bretagne Historique, 1894.

• "Les Saints de Bretagne" par Émile Degeorge. Histoire des Cultes Locaux en Bretagne, Éditions Gaume, 1902.

• "Saint Yves : Le Défenseur des Pauvres" par Jacques Le Goff. Les Saints et leur Vénération en France, Éditions Gallimard, 1989.

• "Le Culte des Saints et les Reliques en Bretagne" par Philippe Bouchet. Les Pratiques Religieuses en Bretagne, Éditions de l’Ouest, 2005.

• "Saint Yves de Tréguier : Patrimoine et Pèlerinage" par Marie-Laure de Cazotte. Tréguier et son Histoire Religieuse, Éditions de Bretagne, 2012.