Commemoration of Holy Hermit Judoc

Today (Dec. 13 (OS) / 26 (NS) ) the Church also, in addition to St. Lucy the Holy Virgin-Martyr, commemorates the Holy King and Hermit, St. Judoc of Ponthieu (+668AD). St. Judoc voluntarily renounced the crown of Brittany in the seventh century, and became an holy hermit. St. Judoc had come from a line of other saints, one of his ancestors being St. Judicael, the Holy King of Armorica.

He performed many mighty miracles and preach the word of God. He was well-respected in Brittany, and many came to seek his counsel. For many men, sick physically, mentally, and spiritually came to his cell, and there he, by God’s Holy Grace, healed them.

After he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood, many wondrous signs and manifestations transpired while he celebrated the Bloodless Sacrifice.

St. Judoc was loved by all, and was seen often with the pilgrims staff, along with his distinctive hat and the beard and hair which grew exceedingly fast. His hermitage was at a place now known as Saint-Josse-sur-Mer.

According to one tradition, St. Judoc prayed, at one point, that the provisions for fellow missionaries who were on the point of starvation, would not fail, and God provided. At another time, the Holy Hermit-Priest, who himself had very little, in fact, only one small loaf of bread, was visited by a Poor Pilgrim, Who had nothing to eat. St. Judoc willingly gave Him all he had. And, though the Apostle stated: “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares,” (Heb. 13:2) One Infinitely Greater than the Angels was soon revealed to the Hermit of Christ. Indeed, Christ Himself then revealed Himself to St. Judoc, He Who is God and ‘much better than the Angels’ (Heb. 1:4), He Whom the Angelic Choirs prostrate in divine worship (Heb. 1:6). And just as Christ concealed Himself to the Disciples on the road to Emmaus (Lk. 24:13-35), so did He to Judoc, and so did He reveal Himself also to him. For the old poet said: “Here to a man in His Own Image was Christ revealed. When He asked for bread He received it with deep gratitude, rendering it back with interest. He [St. Judoc] shared his bread with God, and God rewarded him with boats lade with plenty.”

His life drawing to it close, the Holy Hermit of Christ, St. Judoc came to the end of his earthly pilgrimage, and the demons were put to shame, and, at least, his journey was ended when he came “unto Mount Sion, and unto the City of the Living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of Angels, to the general assembly of the Church of the first born, which are written in Heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus”, for Judoc could say in humility and with God’s Grace, and like St. Paul that he had fought the good fight, finished his course, and kept the faith, and that having forsaken the earthly crown that there was now laid up for him a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, shall give him at that day; and not to him alone, but unto all them that love the appearing. (see 2 Tim. 4:7-8)

St. Judoc reposed in the Lord on December 13th, 668. His body was preserved incorrupt for some time. In the 10th century, St. Grimbald of Winchester received the venerable body of the hermit to the New Minster in 903 AD, as monks in France fled as Viking forces penetrated deeper into the ancient land. Thus his body came to England in the 10th century, and was celebrated with great devotion.

May Holy Judoc interecede for us unto Christ Our God!