Saint Mathurin of Larchant, also Mathurin of Sens, or Maturinus was a Priest and Confessor of the late third and earth fourth centuries AD, who successfully enlightened his native region of Gâtinais (Île-de-France and Orléanais), France, and was gifted with wonderworking abilities as an exorcist. He is honored as the apostle and patron of the historic French province of Gâtinais, with his feast day celebrated on November 1.

Mathurin was born in Larchant between Nemours and Malesherbes in Gâtinais, in northern France. His parents, Marinus and Euphemia, were pagans, and his father had even been entrusted by the Roman Emperor Maximian with the task of exterminating the Christians in the country.

As soon as Saint Maturinus heard the Good News, his heart was entirely converted to Christ, and he sold everything he owned to possess the pearl of great price. Mathurin was secretly baptized by Bishop Polycarp of Sens at the age of twelve, and eventually he converted his own parents.

He was ordained to the priesthood at the age of twenty by Bishop Polycarp of Sens, and began to perform miracles, having a special gift for curing diseases of the soul and body. It has also been suggested that he baptized Emperor Constantius Chlorus in the fountain of Larchant.

His bishop respected him so much, that he gave Mathurin the government of the diocese when he had to leave for Rome. Mathurin then preached the Gospel to Gâtinais with such success, that he converted the whole province to Christ.

His fame grew to such an extent, that Emperor Maximian himself requested that Maturinus come to Rome, towards 310 AD, so that his daughter-in-law Flavia Maximiana Theodora, who had been possessed by an evil spirit, could be cured by the saint. Mathurin thus went to Rome where he expelled the demon from Theodora’s body.

Mathurin lived for three more years in the Eternal City (Rome), interceding with the emperor on behalf of persecuted Christians.

He died in peace in AD 313 (although some sources say AD 388) and was buried in a Roman cemetery. However, Mathurin miraculously indicated that he wished to be buried in Larchant, and so his body was taken to Sens, and then back to Larchant, which became a pilgrimage site.

When the canons of Notre-Dame de Paris were put in possession of Larchant in 1004, they gained the Saints relics. They kept a part in Larchant and placed the other part in the chapel of Saint-Mathurin which they built in Paris in the Latin Quarter.

In Larchant, a church was dedicated to him in 1153, which was carefully reconstructed by the canons of Notre-Dame de Paris. It was flooded with pilgrims and the sick for centuries, particularly at Pentecost. Several kings of France including Louis XI, Francis I and Henry IV made ​​pilgrimages to Larchant. Unfortunately, his shrine was burnt by the Huguenots (French Protestants) in 1568, and his relics were destroyed.

Due to his deliverance of the girl with the evil spirit, Saint Mathurin is invoked against particular obsessions, madness, insanity, and as a patron saint of the mentally ill. By extension he also became the patron saint of comic actors, jesters, and clowns,as well as of sailors (in Brittany), of tinmen (in Paris), and of plumbers. He is also invoked against infertility.

St. Maturinus/Mathurin of Larchant (1 November, + AD 313)