Feast of St. Remigius

The Baptism of Clovis I by St. Remigius
Painted by the Master of St. Gilles (c. 1500)
courtesy of Wikipedia

Today is the fesat of Saint Remigius, also known as St Rémi or St Rémy, Bishop of Reims and Apostle to the Franks, who helped convert Clovis, King of the Franks, baptizing him in 496. The Franks eventually tried to "out-Catholic" the Pope, so this was one of those turning points in the history of both the Church and Europe. Remigius had some help in this famous conversion from St Vedast and from Clovis' Catholic Burgundian wife Clotilde.

Gregory of Tours claims that three thousand Franks were baptized with Clovis. My favorite part of the tale is Remigius instructing Clovis to bend his neck and to "Worship what you have burned, and burn what you have worshiped."

I leave to other souls to tell more of this chap but had to post something since I woke up and thought, It's Rémi's day, then turned the calendar on my bedroom wall.

O God, by the teaching of your faithful servant and bishop Remigius you turned the nation of the Franks from vain idolatry to the worship of you, the true and living God, in the fullness of the catholic faith: Grant that we who glory in the name of Christian may show forth our faith in worthy deeds; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

--the BB