Monday, March 14, 2022

Saint Leobinus of Chartres

Feast March 14

Lubin’s parents were peasants from the region of Poitiers in France. As a young boy, Lubin had an aptitude for learning and applied to a monastery where he was employed in menial tasks.

His work occupied him the entire day, and he was obliged to do most of his studying at night, screening his candle as best he could. The monks complained that the light disturbed their slumbers, but by much humility and perseverance Lubin advanced in knowledge.

Image: St. Leobinus of Chartres
Photo by: Chatsam

He eventually joined the monastery and, probably at the suggestion of St. Carilef, for a time lived as a hermit under the guidance of St. Avitus. Later, after some misadventures, he settled in an abbey near Lyons, remaining for five years.

In a war between the Franks and the Burgundians this monastery was raided and all the monks fled with the exception of Lubin and an old monk. The enemy, unable to extort from Lubin the location of the monastery’s "treasure", tortured him by first strangling him with a rope and then by tying his feet and dipping him, head first, into the river. Left for dead, he recovered, and was received in the monastery of Le Perche.

Bishop Aetherius of Chartres nominated Lubin the Abbot of Brou and had him ordained to the priesthood. His responsibility as abbot weighed so heavily upon him that he begged – although in vain – to be relieved of it.

Instead, upon the death of the bishop, he was elevated and consecrated in his place. He brought about various reforms and became renowned for his miracles.

Lubin participated in the Fifth Council of Orleans and in the Second Council of Paris, and died on March 14, about the year 558, after a long illness.

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

A pure life

 

If men lead a pure life, they are saved.

St. Thomas Aquinas

Saint David of Mynyw

 

Feast March 1

The early part of St. David’s life is misted by time and legend.

He was purportedly the son of Sant of a princely family, and possibly related to King Arthur. His mother was St. Non, grand-daughter of Brychan of Breckock. Ordained a priest in due course, he retired for some time to a monastery.

St. David of Mynyw

He finally settled – and here his biographers are on surer ground – in Menivia, in the extreme southwest corner of Wales, where he became renowned as a teacher and founded monasteries in Wales, Dumnonia and Brittany.

He was consecrated bishop and presided over two synods. At the Synod of Brefi, assembled to counter the heresy of Pelagianism, which denied original sin and divine grace, he spoke with such grace and eloquence as to completely silence his opponents.

Thereupon he was unanimously elected Primate. Obliged to accept, he nevertheless did so under the condition that the episcopal see be moved from Caerleon to Menivia in Wales, which was done with the permission of King Arthur.

At his death, it is said that St. Kentigern saw his soul being borne to Heaven by the angels. He was canonized in 1120 by Pope Callistus II.

An interesting Welsh tradition connected with St. David, and which persists to this day, is the custom of wearing leaks on his feast day.

This tradition dates to a battle against the Saxons during which the bishop supposedly had the Welsh wear leaks on their hats to distinguish them from the enemy.