St. Remigius

St. Remigius – October 1st

Sometimes called St. Remi, this Saint became the great apostle of the Franks. These pagan tribes lived in the land that is now France. As a boy, Remigius did very well in his studies and it was the opinion of St. Sidonius that he was the best speaker of his day. In fact, he earned such a reputation for holiness and learning that he was made the Bishop of Rheims when he was only twenty-two years old. With great fervor and energy, the Saint set out to spread the true Faith among the Franks.

The Queen of the Franks was St. Clotilda, and through her influence, King Clovis called on the “God” of the Christians during battle which he had all but lost. From that moment on, he began winning, and that convinced him that Christianity was the true religion. The baptism of the King was performed by St. Remigius, whom the Queen greatly respected as a holy man. The ceremony was magnificent. The streets leading to the church were decorated and a great number of candles brightened the church. But it was the holiness of St. Remigius himself that made the day unforgettable and won a great many Franks to the Faith. To the King, he was not afraid to say, just before baptizing him: “Humble yourself! Worship what you have burned, and burn what you have worshipped!”

During the ceremony, the man who was bringing the holy Chrism needed for the solemn baptism arrived late and could not make his way through the crowds. Then it was that St. Remigius prayed and a dove appeared in the air carrying a little bottle of the holy oil!

With many other miracles and with his own brave zeal, the Saint fought to get rid of all the idols worshipped by the pagan Franks. He lived to be very old, and God rewarded him for all his work by giving him the great joy of seeing many Franks become Christians.

I will pray for my country and for my leaders, who have great and difficult responsibilities.