Felix of Valois, St.

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FELIX OF VALOIS, ST.

Cofounder of the Trinitarians; b. 1127; d. 1212. Although with St. john of matha, he is claimed as cofounder of the trinitarians, his very existence is doubtful. The earliest Trinitarians kept no archives, but in the 15th and 16th centuries certain writers of the order compiled fictitious records, which they claimed were based on documents. This earliest "history" was further elaborated. According to the account, Felix belonged to the House of Valois. He retired into the forest of Galeresse to live as a hermit and in 1197 he and John of Matha established the Trinitarian Order. He was never officially canonized, though his cult was confirmed in 1666.

Feast: Nov. 20.

Bibliography: j. l. baudot and l. chaussin, Vies des saints et des bienheueux selon l'ordre du calendrier avec l'historique des fêtes (Paris 193556) 11:669671. b. de gaiffier, Analecta Bollandiana 73 (1955) 261. a. butler, The Lives of the Saints, ed. h. thurston and d. attwater (New York 1956) 4:392393. r. gazeau, Catholicisme 4:115657.

[a. g. biggs]