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Garden Statuary
I don’t hold a grudge against the heavy old saint; the deed was mine alone. I enjoy having him around, and I talk to him for fun. Visitors to my garden confuse him with Saint Francis of Assisi, since it’s more common to find Saint Francis in gardens. But in my garden, Saint Francis stands under a magnolia tree in the winter garden. All the plants there are evergreen and some actually bloom in the winter. They are all shade lovers, as I imagine Saint Francis was, too, as he is known for loving trees and birds.
Fiacre, on the other hand, was an herbalist, who must have spent many hours in the sunshine tending his herb gardens. He stands in the sunny morning garden. He’s depicted with his spade and a cheerful, endearing countenance. He was born in the 7th century in Ireland and grew up in a monastery. In those days, monasteries were repositories of learning; universities of the Dark Ages. Fiacre became skilled in growing and using healing herbs. His fame and popularity cost him the sacred solitude he desired, as people flocked to him. He left Ireland for France where he asked the bishop for land to establish a hermitage in an area near the Marne River. Here Fiacre built an oratory in honor of the Virgin Mary. He grew herbs and vegetables to share with those in need, and built a hospice where he received pilgrims. His was a life of prayer and labor in his garden, and lived in a solitary cell.
The legend of Fiacre is that the bishop agreed to give him more ground for planting herbs and vegetables, as much as he could cultivate in one day. Fiacre prayed, then using the tip of his staff to turn the earth, he toppled trees, dug up briars and weeds, moved rocks, and prepared the soil for the garden. A woman saw this and reported to the bishop that Fiacre practiced sorcery. But the bishop knew it was a gift from God and proclaimed it a miracle.
Word of Fiacre’s miracle spread, and people flocked to him for food, healing, and wisdom. A new monastery was founded. Pilgrims brought seeds and plants from far away places. Fiacre’s gardens became famous throughout Europe. After his death in 670 A.D., people who visited the monastery claimed it had healing powers.
Saint Fiacre’s feast day in the United States is September 1. In other places it varies, but coincides with the beginning of harvest. You can visit a Saint Fiacre Garden in Tully, Kildare, Ireland. The 40 acres of woodland and lakeside trails are open February through Christmas. Or, you can make one.