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St. Boniface
June 5, Martyr


Source: Catholicsaints.info



Also known as
    •    Apostle of Germany
    •    Boniface of Crediton
    •    Winfrid
    •    Winfried
    •    Wynfrith
Memorial
    •    5 June
Profile
Educated at the Benedictine monastery at Exeter, England. Benedictine monk at Exeter. Missionary to Germany from 719, assisted by Saint Albinus, Saint Abel, and Saint Agatha. They destroyed idols and pagan temples, and then built churches on the sites. Bishop. Archbishop of Mainz. Reformed the churches in his see, and built religious houses in Germany. Ordained Saint Sola. Founded or restored the dioceses of Bavaria, Thuringia, and Franconia. Evangelized in Holland, but was set upon by a troop of pagans, and he and 52 of his new flock, including Saint Adaler and Saint Eoban were martyred.
Once in Saxony, Boniface encountered a tribe worshiping a Norse deity in the form of a huge oak tree. Boniface walked up to the tree, removed his shirt, took up an axe, and without a word he hacked down the six foot wide wooden god. Boniface stood on the trunk, and asked, “How stands your mighty god? My God is stronger than he.” The crowd’s reaction was mixed, but some conversions were begun.
One tradition about Saint Boniface says that he used the customs of the locals to help convert them. There was a game in which they threw sticks called kegels at smaller sticks called heides. Boniface bought religion to the game, having the heides represent demons, and knocking them down showing purity of spirit.
Born
    •    c.673-680 at Crediton, Devonshire, England
Died
    •    martyred 5 June 754 at Dokkum, Freisland (modern Nederlands)
    •    interred at monastery at Fulda, Germany
Canonized
    •    Pre-Congregation
Patronage
    •    brewers
    •    file cutters
    •    Fulda, Germany, diocese of
    •    Germany
    •    Saint-Boniface, Manitoba, Canada, archdiocese of
    •    tailors

 








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