Vedast

Who was Vedast?

Saint Vedast or Vedastus, also known as Saint Vaast or Saint Waast and Saint Gaston in French, 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 had helped with the conversion of the Frankish king Clovis in 496 and was the teacher of Clovis after the victory of Tolbiac.

He died and was buried at Arras, where the well-known Abbey of St. Vaast was later founded in his honour. His feast is on 6 February.