www.champanelle.net - Cercle Genealogic and Historical Champanellois (63) FRANCE

The origins of lace (continued)

It is customary for every trade to have a patron saint. Lace makers are no exception to this delightful tradition, and it can even be said that the patron saint varies by region. In the North, for example, from Arras to Lille, Saint Louis, Saint Anne, and Saint Nicholas share this honor.

In Velay, however, Saint Jean François REGIS (1597-1640) was chosen as the patron saint, and he is celebrated on June 16th. In the past, this day was marked by many festivities: the day began with a celebration at the cathedral of Puy-en-Velay, attended by all the lace makers and merchants.

The choice of this patron saint was not random; it is based on real events rather than legend:
Jean-François REGIS was born on January 31, 1597. He completed his novitiate in Toulouse and then taught grammar for three years at the Collège de Billom (in the Puy-de-Dôme department). In 1633, he was sent to Puy-en-Velay (in the Haute-Loire department). His goals were clear: «to uplift his parishioners, help them out of their troubles, and restore their hope. »

To this end, he sought to place women of ill repute into families or shelters, with lace making becoming their new occupation. In 1640, King LOUIS XIII signed a royal edict, registered in the Parliament of Toulouse, which sought to «restrict the production of lace. » This decree sparked a revolt among the lace makers of Velay.

The people had great faith in Father Jean-FranÃ§ois Régis, so it was natural for the lace makers to turn to him and share their concerns. The priest worked to ensure that this edict was not enforced in the Velay region.

Father Jean-François REGIS of PLAS passed away on December 31, 1640, in LOUVESC (in the Ardèche department). He was beatified in 1716 and canonized in 1737.
In earlier times, a pilgrimage took place on September 3rd: men, women, and children walked in a long procession to honor him.