Aubert of Avranches

Infobox Saint
name= Saint Aubert
birth_date=
death_date=720 AD
feast_day= September 10
venerated_in= Catholic Church


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major_shrine= church of St. Gervais in Avranches
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Saint Aubert was bishop of Avranches in the 8th century and is credited with founding Mont Saint Michel.

He lived in France during the reign of Childebert III (695-711) and died in 720. According to legend, in 708 he had a vision in which the Archangel Michael instructed him to build an oratory on the rocky tidal island at the mouth of the River Couesnon. Aubert did not pay attention to this vision at first, until in exasperation Michael appeared to him again, this time driving his finger into Aubert's skull and ordering him to complete the task again. Michael is said to have appeared to him a total of three times. After this the oratory was built. It was dedicated in October 16, 709, and Aubert is reputed to have been buried in it.

The relic of Aubert's skull, complete with hole where the archangel's finger pierced it, can still be seen at the church of St. Gervais in Avranches. It is more generally believed nowadays that the skull is in fact a prehistoric relic showing evidence of trepanation. He is regarded as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church, with a feast day of September 10.

References

*Attwater, Donald and Catherine Rachel John. "The Penguin Dictionary of Saints". 3rd edition. New York: Penguin Books, 1993. ISBN 0-140-51312-4.