SaintsforSinners.com

Germaine's story took place long ago. In Pibrac, France, and her mother, Marie, died while she was an infant. Germaine suffered from a severe disability; one of her arms was severely deformed. Her father remarried and her new family treated her cruelly and often made her sleep under a stairwell or in the barn. Germaine accepted her fate and began working as a sheppard. The flock she attended to was well cared for and obedient. Germaine was able to leave the animals alone and attend Mass every day. None of the flock ever strayed while she was away. One day, her step-mother saw Germaine’s apron and concluded that her step-daughter was stealing food. She demanded that Germaine empty her apron. When she did, a beautiful bouquet of flowers appeared. This miraculous event led her family to invite her back into the household. But Germaine declined their offer and continued sleeping in the stairwell, tending to the sheep, and going to Mass every day. One day, she did not awake to care for the animals, and it was discovered she had died, apparently from natural causes. She was buried and 40 years thereafter her body was mistakenly exhumed and found to be incorrupt. Many miracles have been attributed to the intercession of Saint Germaine and many people, like her animals in her lifetime, flock to be near where she lived. Thousands take Pilgrimages to the French town of Pibrac, to ask for her help and pray by the stairwell where she often slept.

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