Saint Giles Offers His Leg in Place of a Deer. By Dr. Chapman Chen

Saint Giles (650-710), a vegetarian Christian (Roberts 2004, 186) cum the Patron Saint of the handicapped, was born in Athens. While still a youth, he healed a poor man by offering him his own coat. His deep spirituality, scholarly gifts, and miraculous acts earned him widespread acclaim in his homeland. However, seeking obscurity and weary of public honour, he departed for Gaul. There, he first settled in a remote area near the Rhone’s delta, then by the Gard River, and ultimately within the jurisdiction of Nîmes.  

Per Jacobus de Voragine’s The Golden Legend or Lives of the Saints (Voragine 1275/1900, 44), Giles withdrew into a life of complete seclusion, spending his days in prayer and communion with the Divine. He “consum[ed] only vegetation, such as wild herbs and roots” (Roberts 2004, 186). His only companion was a red deer. One day, while hunting in the woods, the royal entourage of the French monarch came upon the animal and chased her until she sought refuge in Giles’ hidden dwelling. Concealed by thick foliage, the hunters blindly released arrows toward the cave entrance — one of which pierced Giles’ leg. Struck with regret, the king vowed to send medical help. Yet Giles, desiring greater physical discipline, declined treatment, choosing instead to live with the injury for the rest of his life.

Impressed by the holy man’s devotion, the king gifted him land, upon which a monastery was established — eventually flourishing into the renowned Abbey of Saint-Gilles-du-Gard. Tales of Giles’ life circulated widely during medieval times, as reflected by the multitude of churches and religious houses bearing his name across the continent.

Owing to his crippledness, Saint Giles came to be honoured as the Patron saint of those living with disabilities or struggling with illnesses such as cancer. For many generations, he held a place of great reverence within the Church and ranked among the group known as the 14 Holy Helpers — venerated figures traditionally appealed to in times of plague. His feast day is 1 September. #VeganChrist  #VeganGod #VeganChurch  #VeganTheology

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References

Roberts, Holly Harlayne. (2004). Vegetarian Christian Saints: Mystics, Ascetics and Monks. NY: Anjeli Press. ISBN 978-0-9754844-0-1 

Voragine, Jacobus. (1275/1900). The Golden Legend or Lives of the Saints, Vol. Five. Trans. William Caxton. https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/basis/goldenlegend/GoldenLegend-Volume5.asp#Giles