John of Réôme

Born near Langres in France, early in life he built a monastery on the banks of the little river Reaume, of which he became the Abbot.

[7] The hagiographer Alban Butler 1710–1773) wrote in his Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Other Principal Saints, St JOHN of Reomay, now called Moutier-Saint-Jean, in Burgundy, Ab.

He settled it under the rule of Saint Macarius, governed it many years with great reputation of sanctity, and was rendered famous by miracles.

His parents wished to have brought him up to be a soldier, but his ambition was of quite another kind, and the only victory he longed to achieve was that of virtue over vice, so he fled from his home, and built himself a log hut in a remote village, where, with two boys for his companions, he led a hermit’s life.

But even in the forest Saint John could not command the solitude he desired, for the fame of his sanctity caused many people to seek his counsel, who aspired to lead a holy life; therefore, in order to escape their assiduity, he fled by night with his companions and visited the monasteries of Gaul, finally taking up his abode at Lerins.

There, after some time, he was discovered by one of his former subjects, who appealed to the Bishop of Langres to prevail on him to return to his previous abode.

At his voice devils would come out of those who were tormented by them, while he encouraged all by his piety to lead a life of holy fear, in order that they might come to a happy death.

Once when his monks were at manual labour, chopping trees, the bell suddenly summoned them to the church for the Divine Office, and they left their axes cleft in the boughs.

On their return to work, they found that the axes had been stolen, and immediately reported the loss to Saint John.

He ordered them to apply themselves to study, and forthwith set himself to pray, and with such success, that the thief found himself obliged, nolens, volens, to restore the axes.