Editing Helier (section)

=== Early years ===
Hellerius or Helier was born to [[Paganism|pagan]] parents in [[Tongeren]] (now in [[Belgium]]). His father was Sigebert, a nobleman from Tongeren and his mother was Lusigard.<ref name=post/> Having had difficulties conceiving a child, they turned to a Christian teacher named Cunibert, who advised them to pray to God and that when they had a child they must hand him over to God, and that he, Cunibert, would bring him up in the [[Christianity|Christian]] faith.<ref name=post/> Their prayers having been answered, Helier was born, but Helier's father, the [[Franks|Frankish]] governor of that place, eventually grew angry at the influence Cunibert exerted over his precocious son, who was already causing consternation with his youthful miracles. Helier's father had Cunibert killed, whereupon Helier fled.

Helier's wanderings led him to the [[Cotentin]] where he sought retreat from the distractions of the world in the [[monastery|monastic]] community of [[Saint Marcouf|Marculf]] at Nantus (Nanteuil, now [[Îles Saint-Marcouf|St.-Marcouf-de-l'Isle]] in [[Manche]]).<ref>[https://www.bartleby.com/210/7/162.html Butler, Alban. "St. Elier or Helier, Hermit and Martyr", ''The Lives of the Saints''] vol. VII, 1866 {{PD-notice}}</ref>