Babolen

Saint Babolen (or Babolenus, Babolin, Babolein; died c. 671) was Abbot of Saint-Maur-des-Fossés Abbey near Paris.

He laboured for the good of souls in the neighbourhood of Paris where he governed the monastery of Saint Maurdes-Fosses.

He joined S. Furey at Lagny, and rendered great services to the diocese of Paris, by founding in it many churches and hospitals, assisted by the zeal and liberality of bishop Andebert and S. Landri, his successor.Having attained a very advanced age, he resigned his charge, and closed his days in a hermitage.

[2]The hagiographer Alban Butler (1710–1773) wrote in his Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Other Principal Saints under June 26, St. Babolen, a monk of the Order of St. Columban, whose country is not known, coming into France was appointed first abbot of St. Peter’s des-Fosses, called St. Maur’s after the relics of that holy abbot were brought thither from Anjou.

St. Babolen rendered it a house of saints, and by the perfect spirit of charity, piety, and all virtues which reigned in it, a true image of paradise on earth.

In conjunction with St. Fursey at Lagny he laboured much in serving the whole diocess of Paris by the authority of Bishop Audebert and his successor St. Landri.

He founded many churches and hospitals in that diocess, and in his old age having resigned his abbacy to Ambrose, his successor, died in holy retirement in the seventh century.

[4] O'Hanlon wrote, At first, St. Babolin of Fosse seems to have been a Columban monk, at Luxeuil, and then Abbot of St. Pierre.

About the year 640, St. Babolen is said to have began his rule over Fosse, where he laboured with great diligence and zeal.

His body was buried in a stone sarcophagus, on the northern side of the church he had built and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin.

At length, his remains were translated to another church, which had been built by the religious Abbot Benedict, on the vii.