St. Cloud

Saint Cloud (Clodoald) was a prince who renounced royalty to become a hermit and monk. He was a grandson of Clovis, founder of the Kingdom of the Franks, and was raised by his grandmother, St. Clothilde, after the death of his parents and the murder of his two brothers.

Clodoald had no interest in affairs of state, preferring to draw closer to God through silence and solitude. At age 20, he appeared before the bishop of Paris and other civic leaders dressed in royal robes as an heir to the throne. He removed his robes and donned a coarse garment as a sign that he was renouncing the world for religious life. He gave the bishop scissors to cut his hair (long hair then indicated nobility).

He left for the forest to devote himself to prayer. He was known for having the gift of healing; eventually he was ordained a priest and later founded a monastic community. He had a reputation for great virtue.

Saint Gregory of Tours later wrote of Clodoald that “despising an earthly kingdom, he consecrated himself to God, and, having cut his hair with his own hand, he was made a cleric. He persisted in good works and died a priest.”

— Jim Graves