Detail Of A Statue Of Blessed Walhere Date And Artist Unknown

Blessed Walhère Of Dinant

Also known as: Walhère of Bouvignes; Walhère of Namur; Walhère of Onhaye; Baraclas…; Bohy…; Valerio…; Valero…; Valtero…; Vohy…; Walhero…; Walter…; Wohy…

Blessed

Post-Congregation

Feast Day

23 June; 27 June on some calendars

Born

1138 in Bouvignes-sur-Meuse (modern Dinant), Namur (in modern Belgium)

Died

Hit with a boat oar by his nephew Fauchon in June 1199 on the river Meuse near Onhaye, Brabant (in modern Belgium); his body floated down river and was recovered by local peasant; when the peasants tried to take the body to Bouvignes-sur-Meuse (modern Dinant), Namur (in modern Belgium) for burial, the body became to heavy to move; when they decided to bury him in Onhaye, they were able to move him without trouble; buried at the church of San Martino in Onhaye; his tomb became the site of pilgrimages; by 1522 there was a black marble tombstone to mark his grave; due to the number of pilgrims, the sanctuary was enlarged in 1860; relics are still processed through the village on the first Sunday after 24 June; some relics enshrined in Dinant, Belgium

Biography

Blessed Walhère of Dinant, also known as Walhère of Bouvignes, Walhère of Namur, Walhère of Onhaye, Baraclas, Bohy, Valerio, Valero, Valtero, Vohy, Walhero, Walter, and Wohy, was born in 1138 in Bouvignes-sur-Meuse, Namur, in modern-day Belgium. He came from a wealthy land-owning family, but unfortunately, his mother passed away when he was just an infant.