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Saint '''Mathurin of Larchant''', also '''Mathurin of Sens''', or '''Maturinus''' (died cawas a Priest and Confessor of the late third and earth fourth centuries,<ref name="Mathurin">{{fr icon}} [http://damien.jullemier.pagesperso-orange.fr/sts/st-mathurin.htm Saint Mathurin]. 388)</ref><ref namegroup=BUTLER"note">However according to his hagiography in Butler's ''Lives of the Saints'':<br>:"he died in peace some time before the year 388, says the new Paris Breviary.":* Rev. Alban Butler (1711–73). ''[http://www.bartleby.com/210/11/093.html St. Mathurin, Priest and Confessor].'' The Lives of the Saints. Volume XI: November. 1866. (Bartleby.com).</ref> was a fourth century Priest and Confessor who successfully [[Enlightener|enlightened]] his native region of [[w:Gâtinais|Gâtinais]], France,<ref group="note">In the historic [[w:Brie (region)|Brie region]] of France, the western ''Brie française,'' corresponding roughly to the modern department of [[w:Seine-et-Marne|Seine-et-Marne]] in the [[w:Île-de-France (region)|Île-de-France]] region.</ref> and was gifted with [[Wonderworker|wonderworking]] abilities as an [[Exorcism|exorcist]]. He is honoured as the apostle and patron of the historic French province of [[w:Gâtinais|Gâtinais]],<ref name="BUTLER">Rev. Alban Butler (1711–73). ''[http://www.bartleby.com/210/11/093.html St. Mathurin, Priest and Confessor].'' The Lives of the Saints. Volume XI: November. 1866. (Bartleby.com).</ref> and with his feast day is observed celebrated on [[November 1]].
The first source to mention St. Mathurin is the ''[[w:Martyrology of Usuard|Martyrology of Usuard]]'',<ref name="Mathurin">{{fr icon}} [http://damien.jullemier.pagesperso-orange.fr/sts/st-mathurin.htm Saint Mathurin].</ref> written in 875 by a Benedictine monk of the [[w:Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés|Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés]] in Paris.<ref group="note">He is also has been included (for November 1 ) in the Latin edition of the ''[[w:Roman Martyrology|Martyrologium Romanum]]'', published by the Vatican in 2001.</ref>
==Life==
Mathurin was born in [[w:Larchant|Larchant]] between [[w:Nemours|Nemours]] and [[w:Malesherbes, Loiret|Malesherbes]] in [[w:Gâtinais|Gâtinais]], in northern France. His parents, Marinus and Euphemia, were [[Paganism|pagans]], and his father had even been entrusted by the Roman Emperor [[w:Maximian|Maximian]] with the task of exterminating the Christians in the country.
As soon as Saint Maturinus heard the [[Gospel|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 [[Baptism|baptized]] by Bishop Polycarp of Sens at the age of twelve, and eventually he converted his own parents.
He was [[Ordination|ordained]] to the [[Presbyter|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.<ref name=GALERIE>{{fr icon}} [http://www.paulvitrail.fr/La-galerie-des-saints-de-la-maison La galerie des saints de la maison saint Jean-Baptiste]. 15 Octobre 2009.</ref> It has also been suggested that he baptized Emperor [[w:Constantius Chlorus|Constantius Chlorus]] in the fountain of Larchant.<refname=FR-WIKI>{{fr icon}} [http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathurin_de_Larchant Mathurin de Larchant]. French Wikipedia.</ref>
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 Gatinais with such success, that he converted the whole province to Christ.<ref name="BUTLER"/>
His fame grew to such an extent, that Emperor [[w:Maximian|Maximian]] himself requested that Maturinus come to Rome , towards 310 AD,<ref name="FR-WIKI"/> so that his daughter-in-law [[w:Flavia Maximiana Theodora|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.<ref name="Mathurin"/>
He died in peace some time before the year 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.
==Veneration==