Deer has been assimilated to Christ for the III rd century. It appears in the life of saints to many recoveries: St Edern (Brittany), Ste Helidie (France), Ste Begge (Wallonia)...

But crowning glory comes with conversion of St Hubert (former bishop of Liege), at merovingian time in 683 AD.

His history has several alternatives, I propose one of them to you.

Hubert, son of Bertrand, duke of Aquitaine and great-grandson of Clovis were in 683 a famous lord in all Gaule for his intelligence, his richness and his kindness. It was twenty-eight years old and was very famous and with a superb health. It had an honest, opened and smiling face. Having leave Neustrie where the corruption of lords caused him concern and offence, he spent his days in Ardenne, with his relative, Pepin d'Heristal, like him powerful lord and mayor of the palate of Austrasia kings.

One did not know in Hubert only one sharp, irresistible, furious passion: hunting. Besides that, perhaps because of that, because hunting held him away from inevitable and ordinary quarrels, he had a great reputation of wisdom. However he did not practise any religion, being, certainly, too occupied of hunting to adore any god. He had completely forgotten very Christian teaching from his aunt, holy Ode, which was his teacher, because the princess Hugberne, her mother, died when giving birth to him.

One winter day, Hubert left with horse for hunting, at of the first gleams of dawn. It was feastday of Nativity of Our Lord. White frost was on the trees; fog floated in the hollow of the small valleys; some snowflakes fell. And as he started to drive out, a ten-pointer stag, entirely white, with an extraordinary size, ran in front of him, let him followed in the depths of the forest where the gallop of his horse continued him. After several hours, the stag did not show any tiredness whereas Hubert was broken. However the insane race continued.

Suddenly, it stopped. In a vision of light, Hubert saw between the wood of the stag the image of Christ and he heard a voice which said to him:
- Hubert ! Hubert ! Until when will you pursue the animals in the forests? Until when this vain passion will make you forget the safety of your Soul ?
Hubert, grabbed by the fear, threw himself to ground and, like Saint Paul, questioned the vision:
- Lord ! What should I do ?
- Go, says the voice, near Lambert, my Bishop, at Maestricht. Convert yourself. Make penitence of your sinners as it will be taught to you. It's what you must do to not be damned for eternity. I trust you, so that my Church, in these wild areas, by you will be largely strengthened.
And Hubert to answer, with force and enthusiasm:
- Thanks, My God. You have my promise. I will make penitence, as you want it. I could in all things be worthy of you!

Hubert, duke and mayor of the palate of kings d' Austrasie, kept his promise. He went near Lambert, his bishop, who received him with joy. He implored his protection, ensuring him that he wanted to devote the rest of his life - started like an impious person - to God. The bishop gave him his blessing in Our Lord Jesus-Christ and put him on the virtuous and difficult road of safety.

Giving up palate and richnesses, abandoning all vanities of this world, Hubert withdrew himself in Andage, in the wood of Chamlon, where Our Lord had shown himself to him in the antlers of a white deer, under the shape of a brillant cross.

Lambert, bishop of Maestricht, having been massacred by pagans, Hubert had to succeed to him.

Saint-Hubert is since the Saint patron of the hunters (fest on November 3).