Felix of Valois

Felix of Valois was a French Catholic former Cistercian hermit who lived a solitary life of prayer and contemplation in the forest near Cerfroid. He met John of Matha, a young nobleman and doctor of divinity, who became his disciple and proposed to him the idea of founding an order for the redemption of captives from Muslim slavery. Felix agreed to help, despite being 70 years old at the time. They went to Rome and obtained the approval of Pope Innocent III for their new order, named the Order of the Holy Trinity for the Redemption of Captives, or simply the Trinitarians. Felix returned to France and established the order there and in Italy, while John traveled to Spain and Barbary. Felix administered the motherhouse of the order at Cerfroid until his death in 1212. He was canonized by Pope Urban IV in 1262 and his feast day is celebrated on November 20. He is depicted as an old man in Trinitarian habit with a banner, a purse, chains or captives nearby, or with the Holy Trinity. He is the patron saint of horses and horsemen.