page_title: Similien of Nantes
section_title: Veneration
hierarchical_section_title: Similien of Nantes / Veneration
caption_attribution_description: English: Merovingian-era well at the entrance of the Church of Saint-Similien, Nantes
context_page_description: Similien, or Similianus, was a 4th-century, French Bishop and Saint.
  St. Similien, lived in the early fourth century and was the third bishop of Nantes, who, according to St. Gregory of Tours, was given the title of grand confessor.
  He is recorded as converting to Christianity a certain Donatian, who in turn brought to the Christian faith his brother Rogatian."
context_section_description: He has a church in the city of Nantes, situated on a hill on the Erdre. This site stems from very early times. According to an old tradition, the church stands on his grave. It would also have been the place where he retired during the persecutions, which may be true to the extent that the site was at least located outside the walls of the former city. 
  In the days of Clovis († 511; feast Nov. 27), the city was spared from a Saxon invasion. The siege lasted sixty days until one night, the besiegers saw a procession of white-clad figures from the church, each carrying a candle. Theythen saw a similar procession from the Church of Saint Donatian, and the Saxons were thrown into such panic that they abandoned their positions and fled.
  When the Normans conquered the city in 843, they were said to have thrown the remains of Similian into a well. In the Middle Ages pilgrims came to drink from the well in the hope of healing.
caption: Similien of Nantes well.jpg
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