Reluctant bishop of Vermand in 530; in 531, he moved his see to Noyon, which was further from border clashes. Bishop ofTournai in 532; the union of the two dioceses lasted until 1146. Gave the veil to Queen Saint Radegund. Medardus was one of the most honoured bishops of his time, his memory has always been venerated in northern France, and he soon became the hero of numerous legends.
Each year on his feast at Rosiere, the young girl who has been judged the most exemplary in the district is escorted by 12 boys and 12 girls to the church, where she is crowned with roses and given a gift of money. This is a continuation of a yearly stipend or "scholarship" he apparently instituted when bishop.
Legend says that when he was a child, Medard was once sheltered from the rain by a hovering eagle. This is his most common depiction in art, and led to his patronage of good weather, against bad weather, for people who work the fields, etc. Legend has it that if it rains on his feast day, the next 40 days will be wet; if the weather is good, the next 40 will be fine as well. He was also depicted as laughing aloud with his mouth wide open; this led to his patronage against toothache.
