Saints Christopher and Thomas  a window at St Birinus Catholic Church, Dorchester on Thames.

On a recent (May 2006) visit to Rome your webmaster and his wife found coolness and tranquility within St Nicholas in Carcere. The crypt exposed the foundations of an early Christian basilica which was built between two pre-christian temples. Columns and features of both temples being built in to the current structure.

Your web master knows little of St Anthony of Padua other than that he is the patron of "the poor". Can anyone forward a short concise entry to make up for the webmaster's lamentable ignorance.

Now! Who was St Gertrude? Anyone know? Let your webmaster know and he will upgrade her entry. Anyone have a picture?

CliveBosley@aol.com

St Martin de Tours is particularly associated with the village of Candes St Martin near Tours on the river Loire. Martin, like Julian, was a convert to Christianity and was martyred for the faith. Legend says that he offered his cloak to a poor man who had nothing. The poor man being Christ.

Since entring the above CB has had an opportunity to study a volume listing The Saints in St Birinus Parish Library (qv). He appends this to his observations above.

St Julian - There are 37 Saints named Julian listed. The Julian most likely to be venerated in France is the 3rd century St Julian of the Auvergne. Julian was a native of Vienne and an officer in the imperial army. He became a Christian and was martyred near Brionde. His feast is celebrated on August 28th.

St Martin of Tours - There are 21 Saints Martin listed. Martin of Tours  316 - 397 AD was born in Upper Pannonia (now Hungary). He settled near Tours where he was martyred for the faith. His feast is celebrated on November 11th.

 Travelling north through France in September 2006 your webmaster was, fortuitously, diverted by a blocage or bouchon from the motorway. The exit used was the one adjacent to Chapelle St Gertrude. CB and MTB took the opportunity to vist the chapel. Isolated on a hillside externally sound and in fair condition. Through a peephole one could discern a dusty neglected interior with a statue of the saint.

St Gertrude - There are 6 Saints Gertrude listed. One, a widow, funded the nunnery at Hamage near Douai in France. She died in 649. Her feast is celebrated on December 6th.

During Sunday Mass at Bourg Saint Maurice in the French Alps CB noticed three statues to include in St Birinus Almanack of Saints.

Here is St Michael (S Michel), Archangel Michael was charged with the task of expelling the devil from heaven. Michael is usually depicted with a dragon-like devil at the tip of his lance.

St Francis of Assisi.

St Francis de Sales was born at Annecy in the French Alps in 1567. He was trained originally as a lawyer. He was instrumental in the conversion of many Calvinists in the Chablais region. His treatise "The Introduction to Devout Life" is still apposite. He has beem adopted by Journalists as their patron saint.

As an Old Salesian CB should know (but doesnt) whether the Salesian name was adopted by the Salesian founder, St John Bosco, as  a tribute to Francis de Sales. Anyone know?

The Citadelle and Chapelle of Our Lady of Provence.

In our own district the original shrine of St Birinus and Our Lady of Abingdon were centres of pilgrimage. Nationally Our Lady of Walsingham is a Marian centre.

CB knows little of St Pancras in spite of having lived for several years in St Pancras parish Bloomsbury WC1. Anyone help?

Pancras was martyred in about 304AD and his feast is kept on May 12.

The Anglican parish church of St Pancras on the Euston Road is a neoclassical gem with a Greek Erectheon extension charnel house. The old church has been razed but behind Euston/Kings Cross/St Pancras stations is the old cemetery with a splendid tomb, designed by himself, to Sir Nicholas Soane who lived nearby in Lincolns Inn Fields.

St John Fisher (1469 - 1535). Bishop & martyr. Educated at Cambridge. Fisher the son of a Humberside Mercer became a fellow of Michaelhouse, (now Trinity College). Priest (1491), snr Proctor, doctor of divinity, Master of Michaelhouse, Vicwe Chancellor (1501).

Fisher protested against the title "Supreme Head of the Church of England" for Henry VIII and lost the Kings favour.

Condemned as a traitor Fisher was beheaded on June 17 1535.

Odile

Recently St Birinus parish webmaster and his wife spent a weekend at Jouarre Abbey in France, Dorchester's twin abbey ( see Jouarre pages on this website). They stayed in the Abbey Guesthouse "Bethanie". Their room was dedicated to St Odile about whom The Oxford Dictionary of Saints says:-

      Abbess 660-720AD. - Born blind, daughter of Attich Duke of Alsace Odile gained her sight at her baptism. She founded an abbey at Niedermunster which observed the mixed rules of Benedict, Columban and Augustine. Strong cult particularly for the blind.

Feast - December 14th

Mention is also made of

Odilo

a Benedictine monk 962-1049, Abbot of Cluny. Called by Fulbert of Chartres "The Archangel of Monks" his most famous saying was that he would rather be damned for being too merciful than too severe.

Feast - January 1st or 29th April

CB - 7/7/2007

On a recent visit to Paris your webmaster CB visited St Germain des Pres.  In an Apse chapel stood a wooden statue of St Germain. This photograph, and that of St Rita, was hand held in a dark place. There is some blurring due to movement for which CB apologises

Saint Germain - c500-76 - Monk, priest & bishop. - With St Genevieve patron of Paris. St Germain had a reputation for healing and was notable for his interest in the saints. Feast May 28th

In France there is a widespread devotion to St Rita (of Cascia) 1377-1447 - Widow, Augustinian nun, patron of desperate causes. Particularly matrimonial disharmony. Her incorrupt body was translated to an elaborate tomb, which still survives, in about 1457. Her cult flourishes in France, Spain, Italy and S. America. Feast May 22nd.

 St Michel, Archangel is depicted in this Parisian street fountain. At the time of placing this image on the website Michaelmas, the feast of Michael, 29th September is approaching.

Michael whos name means "Like unto God" according to the Book of Daniel was one of the principal angels in the heavenly host. He was the principal fighter, in the book of Revelation, in the heavenly battle against the devil, often, but not here, depicted as a dragon being thrust down into hell.

Here, from the Musee d'Orsay, Paris, is a sculpture of St Micheal casting down the devil who is represented in the form of a dragon.

Updated CB. 24/9/2007

Tomorrow, April 23rd, is the feast of St George. Much of the legend of George and the Dragon is probably a folk myth. There is a historical record of the life of George (a soldier) and his persecution and martyrdom.

Contrary to popular opinion (and pub quizzes) George is not the ptron saint of England. In early the early church in England. St Mary Le More ( Mary major, BVM) was our Patron Saint and England was her dowry. Later St Peter was held to be Patron Saint of England and also St (King) Edward the Confessor. (The holy king that had endowed the Abbey at Wesminster).

The cult of George stems from his chivalrous legend which was very much in tune with  image of medieval manhood and came to England with knights returning from the crusades and King Richard  I (coeur de lion).

CB (22/4/2008) - Your webmaster uses The Oxford Dictionary of Saints as his source book.

The hagiography of saints is an interesting field of study. The Dictionary above is a recommended read (it is well suited to being read in short bursts).

Prayer to St George 2008

St Barnabas (first century) was one of Christ's disciples. He was never an apostle. A Jewish Cypriot and a Levite. Together Paul & Barnabas were sent to Antioch (the first missionary journey). Later Paul and Barnabas quarrelled and separated. Barnabas is noted for the part that he played in the development of the infant church. Feast 11 June

Above are reproduced images of St Birinus statue in St Birinus Catholic Church, Dorchester on Thames, nr Oxford.

The bookmark and prayer card are both splendid examples of the photography of a parishioner (AW). Copies can be purchased at St Birinus church.

CB (22/4/2008)

The picture/prayer card of St Thomas More displayed above was distributed at St Birinus Catholic Church recently.

St Thomas More 1478-1535 -  was a friend of St John Fisher (see above). Both knew one another and at the same time fell into the king's displeasure and were martyred for their faith.

Thomas More was the son of a barrister and eventually was called to the bar himself. He became favoured by King Henry VIII and was appointed to a succession of high offices. In 1532 More wrote a defence, against Luther, of Henry VII's treatise on the Seven Sacraments for which the papacy rewarded Henry with the title Defender of the Faith.

King Henry and More came into conflict, as did Fisher, over the king's marriage divorces without papl approval, and his assuming the papal role. as successor of Peter, in England and the emergence of The Church of England. More was imprisoned in the tower and after a trial beheaded. At his execution More's last words were that he died for the faith of the Holy Catholic Church and was "the king's good servant, but God's first".

Pope John Paul II nominated him Patron Saint of Politicians. His Feast Day is celebrated on June 22.

The above is a synopsis, far too abbreviated, of an entry in The Oxford Dictionary of Saints. The lives of More and Fisher warrant detailed study and emulation by all.

CB - July 20th, 2008.

Whilst amending this website CB heard the review on BBC R4 of a new book relating to the life of Thomas More.

A Daughter's Love - by John Gay

From the review the book appeared a worthwhile read. CB will seek it in local shops and the library

Margaret bargained with the Keeper of London Bridge for the return of her father's head after it had been displayed there as a traitor. Eventually the head was buried with her as More's decapitated body remained buried in the chapel of St Peter ad Vincula in The Tower.

CB - 23rd July 2008

Cb has bought a copy from a local bookshop. The dust-jacket is to be replaced as at £25 an inferior copy cannot be tolerated.

The author a Cambridge lecturer and honorary research fellow has written several histories.

A Daughter's Love, Chronicles the life of Thomas and Margaret Roper, his daughter, and particularly focusses on her visits to More in his last days when imprisoned. Reading the book has indicated to CB that More's Utopia and Erasmus's In Praise of Folly on his bookshelves are now due to be re-visited

CB 17-7-2008.