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About St. Ives
St Ives of Tréguier (1253-1303) was a judge, an advocate, and a priest. Ives Hélory (Yves in French) was born near Tréguier in north western France. At the age of 14, Ives journeyed to Paris, where he initially studied the arts, and later studied law and theology. At the age of 24, Ives moved to Orléans, where he studied civil and canon law for 3 years.
Ecclesiastical Judge:
At the age of 27, Ives returned to Brittany and became the ecclesiastical judge of Rennes. The ecclesiastical courts heard all claims concerning the clergy and heresy, and also administered justice with regard to widows, orphans, and inheritance. Ives became reknown for his fairness and wisdom. His attempts to reconcile parties without going to trial became legendary.
There is one story that a rich merchant sought redress against a poor man who came to his kitchen each day to smell the cooking aroma. Ives held a coin against the merchant's ear, made a clinking sound with it, and pronounced his verdict: "The sound pays for the smell!" Because of the 2 separate court systems, Ives was also able to act as an advocate for poor clients, free of charge, in the civil courts.
At the age of 38, Ives followed the example of St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226), and gave his fine clothes, including his judicial robes, to the poor of the hospital of Tréguier. He walked away barefoot and in his undershirt.
Ordination:
Ives was later ordained a priest, but he continued his judicial work. Ives became curate of 2 parishes, and preached at as many as five churches on the same day. He was generous and unwavering in his concern for caring. Ives distributed his harvest to the poor and sheltered the poor and destitute in the presbytery.
Before his death, Ives returned to Minihy, a tiny village beside his family's chateau, where he built a hospital and chapel for the poor. He died in 1303, at about the age of 50.
Canonization:
Ives was canonized in 1330. The canonization inquiry was fully documented in writing, and has been a boon for historians. 243 witnesses were called, with the help of a Breton interpreter. 52 gave evidence about Ives' life, while the others testified about miracles attributed to his intercession. Fittingly, these included, among many more spectacular examples, the reconciliation of a family who had been feuding over an inheritance.
Song About St. Ives:
"Advocatus erat sed non latro, res miranda populo!"
"He was a lawyer, and not a thief, A thing of wonder to the people!"
Depiction In Artwork:
There are countless statues and paintings, including one by Rubens. St Ives is sometimes shown alone, holding scrolls or some other sign of his legal calling. His stiff posture and grave face express his incorruptibility and unswerving commitment to justice. However, more often St Ives is shown between 2 litigants, one poor, one rich. Sometimes he is turning towards the poor man, and away from the rich man's proffered bag of gold.
The symbol of a dolphin is also sometimes used in depictions of St Ives, "because according to legend, dolphins would show the way to vessels in distress, and come to the help of the drowning…it is thus a fitting symbol for a lawyer". (André Damien, "Saint Yves, patron des avocats", Gazette du Palais, 13 May 1978, reprinted on-line in Esprit et Vie in March 2003.)
Feist Day (3rd Sunday In May):
St Ives' "pardon" - the Breton term for a religious festival - is celebrated each year on the 3rd Sunday in May. About 12,000 people attend the festival. They include many French lawyers in their trademark black robes and white neck pieces, as well as lawyers from further afield. (A conference of lawyers also usually takes place shortly before the feast day.) The participants attend Mass, vespers and Benediction in the cathedral at Tréguier, and then walk in procession to the village of Minihy where Ives died. The relics of many French saints were lost in the anti-religious fury of the Revolution. However, Ives' relics were preserved, and it is considered a great honour to take a turn in carrying them at the head of the procession.
In 2003 the feast was marked with particular solemnity because it was the 700th anniversary of St Ives' death. The Pope sent Monsignor Pompedda, the most senior lawyer of the Vatican, as a special envoy to attend on his behalf, and representatives of the diocese of Treguier, LED BY BISHOP LUCIEN FRUCHAUD, travelled to Rome for the feast day AND MET WITH POPE JOHN PAUL II. The Pope's address to the pilgrims at their audience may be enjoyed at:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/speeches/2003/may/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_20030531_pilgrims-france_en.html
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