FILIBERTO, saint. — Born in 616–20, died on 20 August 685. Apostle and patron of the Vendée. Of noble family, probably originally from Eauxe, he was educated at the court of Dagobert I, where he enjoyed the friendship of St Ouen, archbishop of Rouen. Disgusted with the worldliness of the court, at the age of 21 he became a monk at Rebaïs under the abbot St Agila, whose successor he became.
At the beginning of his administration he faced an open rebellion by some of the monks. Perhaps as a result of his own experience, he devised a plan for reforming monastic life and, after leaving Rebaïs, visited several monasteries in France and Italy, especially Luxeuil and Bobbio, in order to study on the spot the rules and spirit of the various Orders. From then on he no longer concerned himself with Rebaïs and turned his attention to new foundations. Around 650 he founded on the Seine the celebrated monastery of St Peter at Jumièges and became its first abbot; shortly afterward, in an unspecified location, he founded a convent for women, placing Austerberta, formerly abbess of Port-le-Grand, in charge of it; it was later permanently established at Pavilly. In 677, fleeing the persecution of Ebroin, F. took refuge with Ansoald, bishop of Poitiers, who helped him found the monastery of Noirmoutier on the island of Her, later called that of St Philibert. In 683–84, after Ebroin’s death, he was able to return to Jumièges and founded another convent for women at Montvilliers. After the death of his friend St Ouen (684), he left Jumièges, appointed St Acard its abbot, and withdrew to Noirmoutier.