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Died April 22, 770
Patron Saint of Montreuil, Abbey of Almenêches, Diocese of Séez
St. Opportuna of Montreuil was a young abbess who lived a life of holiness and faithfulness dedicated to God. Born into a noble Frankish family in Normandy, she was consecrated to God as a child and entrusted to the Benedictine Abbey of Almenêches. There she received a strong spiritual formation rooted in prayer, obedience, and communal life.
She had a profound love toward others. She was diligent in her work and devoted to serving God. These traits led to her appointment as abbess of the monastery of Montreuil, where she served her sisters with humility and maternal care. She possessed a deep spiritual wisdom that earned the respect and affection of her community. Her leadership was founded on fidelity to the Rule of St. Benedict.
Her brother was the Bishop of the Diocese of Séez. He served as her spiritual mentor and often visited her convent, which was only three miles from his episcopal offices. In a vision, she foresaw her brother’s murder as he traveled to visit her convent. Unable to do anything to prevent the tragedy, she brought his body to the convent and buried him there.
St. Opportuna suffered extreme grief after losing her brother, which she bore with patience and trust in God. She died less than a year following his death on April 22, 770. After her death, devotion to her grew steadily among the faithful. Numerous miracles were reported at her tomb.
While no miracles were recorded during St. Opportuna’s lifetime, one notable miracle is attributed to her intercessory prayer. It involves a peasant who stole a donkey from her convent. After she prayed for divine justice, the thief’s field was miraculously sown with salt, leading him to return the animal and repent. After her death, numerous miracles were recorded at her tomb. Many believed she protected her convert after death, and numerous miracles attributed to her intercession were reported at her burial site. These included physical healings and protection from infestations of mice and other pests that threatened crops and households. Because of these traditions, she became a patron saint invoked for protection against rodents and agricultural harm.
St. Opportuna’s relics are primarily venerated in France, with major portions located at the priory of Moussy, the abbey at Almenêches, and the priory of Saint Chrodegang of Metz at Isle-Adam. Part of her relics were traditionally enshrined in Paris, where a church was built in her honor in 1374 to house them. Following the Viking destruction of her original convent, her relics were moved, with most being sent to Moussy, and later to Paris.
St. Opportuna and her brother, St. Chrodegang (Bishop of Séez), had a close relationship. He was her spiritual mentor, and his death profoundly impacted her, leading to intense grief that severely weakened her health. She was devastated by the murder of her brother on September 3, 769, and some sources indicate she died of ”broken heart” or a brief illness exacerbated by her overwhelming grief. She had a vision about his death, but she was “powerless to intervene” to prevent it. She was able to arrange for his body to be brought to her convent in Montreuil, where she personally oversaw his burial. St. Chrodegang was murdered by a relative named Chrodobert, to whom he had entrusted his diocese during a seven-year absence in Rome.
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As we deepen our relationship with the Eternal Word, Jesus Christ, we grow in grace and are transformed by His love and mercy.
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