St. Junian October 16

 St. Junian

Feastday: October 16

Death: 5th century

Hermit at Sainte-Junien Haute Vienne, France. He was revered as an eremite of extreme piety and compassion.

For the saint of Poitou, see Junian of Maire.

Saint Junian (French: Saint Junien) was a 5th-century Christian hermit at the location later named after him, Saint-Junien. According to tradition, he was the son of the Count of Cambrai and was born in 486, during the reign of Clovis I.[1] This tradition states that Junian and Saint Leonard were baptized at the same time.[1]

At the age of 15, Junian journeyed to the Limousin, a region that had a reputation for austerity and also for the many saints and hermits who had resided there.[1] One of these saints was a certain Amand, and Junian wished to become his disciple.[1] Amand lived in a small hermitage at the confluence of the Vienne and Clain Rivers, at a place called Comodoliac, which had been offered to him by Ruricius, bishop of Limoges.[1]

According to tradition, is said that, very late at night, Junian knocked on the door of Amand, who did not answer, fearing that it was a demon. Junian had to sleep outside during a violent snowstorm, but the snow miraculously fell around rather than on him during the night.[1]

Junian trained with Amand, and after the passing of his master, Junian lived where the collegiate church stands nowadays.[1]