the bishop of Poitiers, he developed, with monks from Noirmoutier, a priory that would become the royal abbey of Saint-Michel-en-l'Herm, partly at the origin of the Marais Poitevin. Later life After the death of Ebroin in 681, Philibert returned briefly to Jumieges, but did not stay as he was by then deeply involved with Noirmoutier. Before leaving the place for the last time, he reconciled with his friend Saint Ouen. When he regained the favour of his patrons, he founded other houses, including the nunneries at Pavilly and in 682 Montivilliers Abbey. On his return, he continued supervising his various foundations. Philibert died and was buried at Heriou. Veneration In 836 the monks of Noirmoutier abandoned their home in the face of the Viking attacks to seek refuge on the mainland, in 875 finally settling with the relics of Philibert in the abbey at Tournus named in his honour, where the great church of St Philibert at Tournus still stands. This translation by the monks of Noirmoutier gave rise to several foundations and numerous Carolingian endowments, creating a large monastic network. The relics of the saint are kept in the choir of the Saint-Philibert abbey of Tournus, inside a reliquary, the work of the artist Goudji. They were desecrated on January 25, 1998; the skull of the saint and two of his bones having been stolen. Among those inspired by Philibert's example was the Irish monk Sidonius of Jumieges, who founded the monastery at Saint-Saëns. Philibert of Jumièges' feast day is 20 August. The filbert, or hazelnut, is said to have been named after him, since it ripens about August 20 in England. Villages bear his name in the Rhone Valley, in Anjou, in Normandy and in Brittany. References Sources Farmer, David (ed.), 2004. Oxford Dictionary of Saints. Oxford: OUP (5th edn). Krusch, B. (ed.). Vita Filiberti (Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Scriptores Rerum Merovingicarum V, pp. 568–606). Poupardin, R., 1905. Monuments de l'histoire des abbayes de saint Philibert. External links 608 births 684 deaths 7th-century Frankish saints