Saint Felix of Valois, Confessor
S. Felicis de Valois Confessoris
Saint Felix of Valois, a hermit of France, joined with Saint John of Matha to found the Order of the Most Holy Trinity for the ransom of Christian captives.
Saint Felix of Valois lived in France in the twelfth century, dying about the year 1212. He is honoured together with Saint John of Matha as a founder of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity, the Trinitarians, whose particular work was the redemption of Christians held captive in slavery.
Hermit and founder
According to the tradition handed down in the Order, Felix withdrew from the world to live as a hermit in the forest of Cerfroid, north-east of Paris, giving himself to prayer and penance. There he was joined by John of Matha, a learned and holy priest, and the two men, of one mind in the love of God, conceived together the design of a religious order devoted to ransoming captives from bondage — a work of mercy of the highest order in an age when many Christians languished in slavery.
With the approval of the Holy See, the new Order was established, and its members bound themselves to seek out and redeem the captive, even offering, if need be, their own liberty in exchange. Saint Felix is remembered for his part in laying the foundations of this charitable work and in governing its first houses in France, while Saint John laboured more widely abroad. The fuller details of Saint Felix’s life rest largely on the traditions of the Order, and the Church venerates him for what is sure: his holiness of life and his share in this great work of mercy.
His witness today
Saint Felix died full of years at Cerfroid, and his feast is kept on the twentieth of November. In him the Church honours the union of the contemplative and the active life: the hermit’s love of solitude joined to a burning charity that reached out to the most forsaken of the captives. His example, and that of the Order he helped to found, recalls the words of the Lord that whatsoever is done to the least of his brethren is done unto him.
The Collect
O God, who didst vouchsafe to call blessed Felix from the desert to the work of redeeming captives by means of a heavenly summons: grant, we beseech thee; that by the grace bestowed upon him we may be freed, through his intercession, from the captivity of sin and brought to our heavenly home.
Deus, qui beátum Félicem Confessórem tuum ex erémo ad munús rediméndi cáptivos cælítus vocare dignatus es: præsta, quæsumus; ut, per grátiam tibi ab eo collátam, a peccatórum nostrórum captívitate ejús intercessióne libeéti, ad cæléstem pátriam perducámur.
Patronage
He is venerated as co-founder of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity (the Trinitarians) and is honoured among those devoted to the redemption of captives.
In the Modern Calendar
In the modern calendar his feast is no longer kept on the universal calendar.
Common Questions
When is the feast of Saint Felix of Valois?
His feast is kept on 20 November in the calendar of the 1962 Roman Missal, as a Third Class feast.
Who was Saint Felix of Valois?
He was a French hermit of the twelfth century who, together with Saint John of Matha, founded the Order of the Most Holy Trinity (the Trinitarians), dedicated to ransoming Christians held captive in slavery.
What did the Trinitarian Order do?
The Order of the Most Holy Trinity was founded to redeem Christian captives from bondage, raising funds and travelling to purchase their freedom, and at times offering themselves in exchange for the captives. It remains a work of charity and ransom carried on in the Church.
See where this feast falls in the Church’s year on the liturgical calendar, or find a Traditional Latin Mass near you.
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