ST. SIRAN, OR SIGIRANNUS, ABBOT IN BERRY, C.

HE was a native of Berry, and of noble extraction, studied in his youth at Tours, and was afterwards cupbearer to king Clotaire II. While he lived at court he always wore a rough hair shirt under his garments, and devoted the greatest part of his time to holy prayer. To give himself up wholly to this heavenly exercise he took holy orders at Tours in 625, and served that church some time in quality of archdeacon. In 640 he made a penitential pilgrimage to Rome, and after his return founded two monasteries in the diocese of Bourges, the one called Meobec or Millepecus, and the other Lonrey, now St. Siran’s, near Maisiers. This latter he governed with great sanctity till his death, which happened in 655. He is honored in France among the saints. See his life in Mabillon, Act. Ben.