Vedast

Saint Vedast or Vedastus, also known as Saint Vaast (in Flemish, Norman, and Picard) or Saint Waast (also in Picard and Walloon) and Saint Gaston in French, (died c. 540) was an early bishop in the Frankish realm.

At the beginning of the sixth century Saint Remigius, bishop of Reims, profited by the good will of the Frankish monarchy to organize the Catholic hierarchy in the north of Gaul. He entrusted the diocese of Arras and diocese of Cambrai to Vedast, who was the teacher of Clovis after the victory of Tolbiac, and helped with the conversion of the Frankish king.

Career

Vedast, when a young man, left his own country (which seems to have been in the west of France), and led a holy life concealed from the world in the diocese of Toul. The bishop, taking notice of him, ordained him to the priesthood. Clovis, King of Franks, while returning from his victory over the Alemanni, hastened to Rheims to receive baptism and stopped at Toul to request some priest to instruct him on the way. Vedast was assigned to accompany the king.