LAKE JAMES

NORTH CAROLINA

Saint Boniface, Archbishop, Missionary, and Martyr

Boniface is justly called one of the “Makers of Europe.” He was born in Devonshire, England around the year 675 and at baptism received the name of Winfred. Educated at Exeter and Nursling (near Winchester), he entered the Benedictines where he was also ordained to the priesthood.

Inspired by the examples of St. Willibrord and others, he became a missionary and in 716 made his first trip to the Netherlands where he labored with little success. Three years later, he tried again, but first went to Rome seeking and obtaining official approval of his efforts. He was sent to Germany and in 722, he was ordained a bishop. St. Boniface spent the next thirty one years reforming, planting, and organizing churches and monasteries, and even founded three new dioceses. In 732, he was made an archbishop.

The secular Frankish rulers were supportive of his work. At their invitation, he presided over reforming councils of the Frankish Church and in 752, with the consent of the Pope, Boniface appointed Pepin to be King of the Franks, which paved the way for Pepin’s son Charlemagne and the revival of a unified Christian dominion in western Europe. In 753, Boniface resigned as archbishop so as to be able to spend his last years once again as a missionary in the Netherlands. While waiting to meet a group of converts who were to be confirmed, he and his companions were murdered by a band of pagans on June 5, 754.

The Collect for the Feast of Saint Boniface

Almighty God, you called your faithful servant Boniface to be a witness and martyr in Germany, and by his labor and suffering you raised up a people for your own possession: Pour out your Holy Spirit upon your Church in every land, that by the service and sacrifice of many your holy Name may be glorified and your kingdom enlarged; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

[based on “Lesser Feasts and Fasts” and other sources – A.T.K.Z.+]

-------------------

To learn more about St. Boniface from St. Boniface Anglican Church in Birmingham, England, click here.

This page last modified on Friday, April 11, 2008 09:40 PM