Saint Boniface
St. Boniface was born at Crediton or Kirton in Devonshire about the year 680, and at his baptism, named Winfrid.
From Butler, Lives of the Saints, 1812, “ST. BONIFACE, ARCHBISHOP OF MENTZ, APOSTLE OF GERMANY, AND MARTYR.”
Patronages
According to Catholic tradition, as recorded in the sources cited for each patronage:
Brewers
Brewers, tailors, and file-cutters have chosen St. Boniface as their patron, also various cities in Germany.
Recorded as patron of brewers in:
Fulda
Recorded as patron of Fulda in:
- Husenbeth, Emblems of Saints, 1882, PATRONS OF COUNTRIES AND CITIES.
Hameln
Recorded as patron of Hameln in:
- Husenbeth, Emblems of Saints, 1882, PATRONS OF COUNTRIES AND CITIES.
Also recorded as patron:
Feast day
- June 5 · General Roman Calendar
From Butler, Lives of the Saints, 1812, “ST. BONIFACE, ARCHBISHOP OF MENTZ, APOSTLE OF GERMANY, AND MARTYR.”
When he was but five years old, his chief delight was to hear holy men converse about God and heavenly things. The edifying deportment and holy instructions ofcertain pious monks, who, being employed in preaching in that country, happened to come to his father's house, gave him a strong desire todevote himself to God in a religious state;
and though he was then only a child, the deep impressions which their words left upon his heart were never after effaced.
His father exerted his whole authority to divert him from his inclination to a monastic life;
till being visited by a dangerous sickness, he acknowledged in it the hand of God, chastising him for opposing his son's vocation, which he from that time gave him free leave to pursue.