Holy greyhound: why the dog was canonized

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Francesco Petrarca called the Middle Ages "Dark Ages" for a reason. It was this period of history that became famous not only for the regression of culture, art, science, the "witch hunt", but also for the general spiritual decline. It is no wonder that it was at this time that an incident occurred that gave history, perhaps, one of the most exotic saints. Who and why canonized the hunting greyhound, which gave rise to truly demonic practices among the people?

A bit of history

Around the second half of the 13th century, a Dominican monk known as Stephen of Bourbon began his journey through southern France. He documented a variety of medieval heresies and superstitions, which he combined into one long treatise on faith. The document was called De septem donis Spiritu Sancti ("On the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit").

Speaking of superstition and idolatry, Stephen recounts an incident in the Diocese of Lyons. While preaching there against witchcraft and listening to confessions, he learned something that worried him greatly. Many peasant women told him that they were carrying their children to the grave of Saint Guinefort, a saint that Stephen had never heard of before. When the monk made inquiries, he was surprised and horrified to discover that the alleged Saint Guinefort was actually … a dog!

The story described by Stephen of Bourbon is truly dramatic. In the Diocese of Lyons, not far from the village of nuns named Villeneuve, in the estate of Lord Villars-en-Dombes, there was a certain castle, the owner of which had a little son. Once, when the lord, the lady and the nurse were far from the cradle with the child, a large snake crawled into the house. She was already at the very crib, when the owner's greyhound, named Guinefort, noticed her. The dog immediately threw himself under the cradle, knocking it over, and bitten the snake.

All the household came running to the noise. They saw an inverted cradle and a dog with a bloody mouth. The lord, horrified, thought that the dog had killed the baby. In a rage, Villard drew his sword and killed the animal. After a moment, he heard a muffled crying of children. Approaching the cradle, the lord turned it over and, to his relief, found that his son was not hurt. But the joy was fleeting, the next moment he was captured by deep grief and remorse for the senseless murder of his faithful comrade. Lord Villard buried Guinefort and laid stones over his grave, as a monument to the courageous dog.

Hearing about the dog's noble deed, the villagers began to come to his grave and pray to him when their own children were sick or in danger. Over the years, certain superstitious rituals have developed around the resting place of Guinefort. One of them consisted of placing a sick child on a straw bed next to a revered grave. Lighted candles were placed at the head of the baby. Then the mother left the child and did not return until the candles had completely burned out. Often the straw bed would catch fire, and the flames consumed the child. In other cases, the helpless child became the prey of the wolves. If the child survived after all this, then the mother took him to the nearest river and dipped him into the water exactly nine times. Only if the child went through this torturous ritual and survived was it believed that everything was in order.

The Legend of Saint Guinefort

Etienne de Bourbon was horrified to learn of this truly demonic practice. After all, this ritual did not call on God, but demons. He also believed that leaving children at the grave with lit candles was tantamount to infanticide. Moreover, the monk took offense at raising the dog into a cult, because he believed that this practice ridicules the true pilgrimage and veneration of the canonical saints.

Stephen of Bourbon immediately ordered the destruction of the dog's temple. A decree was also issued warning that anyone caught worshiping Guinefort will be fined. Despite the ban, the dog continued to be revered as a saint. Mothers of sick children visited the dog's burial place for several more centuries. Only in 1930 was it finally canceled by the Catholic Church, like the holiday of San Guinefort, where the saint was presented as a half-man, half-dog.

Official position of the church and legends from around the world

Saint Guinefort was never officially recognized by the Roman Catholic Church. In fact, the church does not approve of such veneration and worship of animals. This is idolatry in its purest form.

The very story of Saint Guinefort is highly dubious. Moreover, this legend has parallels all over the world. In Welsh folklore, King Llywelyn the Great returns from a hunt and discovers the missing child, an overturned cradle and his dog Gelert, smeared with blood. Believing that the dog killed his son, Llywelyn draws out his sword and kills the unfortunate dog on the spot. Then he finds the baby safe and sound under the cradle, and next to it is the body of a dead wolf. There is a similar story, warning of the consequences of hasty action in India. It is over a thousand years old. In this version, the dog is replaced by a mongoose, which kills the snake and protects the child. Similar fables can be found in Southeast Asia, China, Mongolia and Europe.

The real Guinefort still existed

If Guinefort's dog never existed, where did that name come from? According to research by Dr. Rebecca Rist of the University of Reading, Guinefort actually existed. It was a man. A little known Christian martyr who lived somewhere between the 3rd and 4th centuries. His name was Guinefort. He was executed for preaching Christianity and died as a holy martyr in Pavia, in the diocese of Milan. A monument to this saint was erected there and the cult of veneration for Guinefort of Pavia was born. Then it spread throughout France and served the emergence of many other places of worship. The life stories of Saint Guinefort are few and far between, except that he was known as the protector of sick children.

The story is, of course, curious, but not so dark. Read our article the true story of the most famous biblical sinner: who Mary Magdalene was in real life.