Above:  Gaul in 628 

SAINT AMATUS OF LUXEUIL (DIED 630)

Also known as Saint Ame

Roman Catholic Monk and Abbot

His feast transferred from September 13

converted

SAINT ROMARIC OF LUXEUIL (DIED 653)

Roman Catholic Monk and Abbot

One of the joys of preparing these posts about lives of saints is discovering for myself the links between and among saints.  Today, with this post, I add two saints to my Ecumenical Calendar of Saints’ Days and Holy Days.  These stories converge with the lives of at least four saints of whom I have written already.  Such overlapping holiness gladdens my heart.

This saga of sanctity begins with St. Amatus (died 630).  The monk from Grenoble had grown up in a monastery.  And, in 614, at the urging of St. Eustace of Luxeuil, abbot from 611, he became a monk there.  A few years later, St. Amatus converted St. Romaric (died 653), then a nobleman serving in the court of Lothair II (reigned 584-629), King of Neustria from 584 and King of all Franks from 613.  St. Romaric also became a monk at Luxeuil.  At that monastery both saintly monks were subject to the positive influence of St. Columban/Columbanus, the great evangelist and founder of monasteries.

In 620 Sts. Amatus and Romaric, with the approval of St. Eustace, founded the double monastery of Remiremont Abbey on St. Romaric’s estate at Habendum.  St. Amatus served as the first abbot; St. Romaric succeeded him in 623 and ruled for the next thirty years.  Among the monks there were St. Arnulf of Metz, a nobleman and a bishop, and St. Germanus of Granfel (see the hyperlink for St. Arnulf), later an abbot.

Accounts of St. Romaric’s life as abbot include stories of him becoming involved in Merovingian dynastic politics, which were frequently dangerous, for certain Merovingian monarchs were violent toward their own family members.  The particulars of St. Romaric’s political entanglements are irrelevant and would distract me from my focus, but I do note that he strove for a better society–surely a good cause.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

NOVEMBER 16, 2012 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF SAINT MARGARET OF SCOTLAND, QUEEN

THE FEAST OF SAINT GIUSEPPE MOSCATI, PHYSICIAN

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

O God, by whose grace your servants Saint Amatus of Luxeuil and Saint Romaric of Luxeuil,

kindled with the flame of your love, became burning and shining lights in your Church:

Grant that we may also be aflame with the spirit of love and discipline, and walk before you as children of light,

through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

Acts 2:42-47a

Psalm 133 or 34:1-8 or 119:161-168

2 Corinthians 6:1-10

Matthew 6:24-33

–Holy Women, Holy Men:  Celebrating the Saints (2010), page 723

Above:  Gaul in 628 C.E.

Image in the Public Domain

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

SAINT ARNULF OF METZ (DIED CIRCA 643)

Roman Catholic Bishop of Metz

His feast transferred from July 18

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

SAINT GERMANUS OF GRANFEL (DIED CIRCA 677)

Roman Catholic Abbot and Martyr

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

St. Arnulf was originally a courtier to Theodoric II, King of Burgundy from 595 to 612 and of Austrsasia from 612 to 613, a member of the Merovingian Dynasty.  The saint was the father of Ansegisal, Mayor of Austrasia from 632 to 638.  Ansegisal was the husband of St. Begga, daughter of St. Pepin (I) of Landen, Mayor of Austrsasia before and after his son-in-law.  (For more about St. Pepin and St. Begga, follow this link.  The Carolingian Dynasty descended through St. Pepin and St. Arnulf via Ansegisal and St. Begga, parents of Pepin (II) of Heristal, Mayor of Austrasia and Neustria from 687 to 714, who was the father of Charles Martel, grandfather of King Pepin the Short (reigned 747-768), and great-grandfather of Charlemagne (reigned 768-714).  Doda, St. Arnulf’s wife, became a nun, and Arnulf became Bishop of Metz circa 610.  He remained a royal counselor.  St. Arnulf retired to a hermitage which became Remiremont monastery, and died there.

St. Germanus of Granfel was born at Trier, Gaul.  Raised and educated by St. Modoald, Bishop of Trier, uncle of St. Begga and brother-in-law of St. Pepin.  Aged seventeen years, St. Germanus gave his possessions to the poor and became a hermit with St. Arnulf, who advised St. Germanus and his brother, Numerian, to enter the monastery at Remiremont.  The brothers obeyed this counsel.  St. Germanus went on to serve as abbot at Granfel then at St. Ursitz and St. Paul Zu-Werd monasteries in the Moutier Valley.  St. Germanus met his death when he confronted soldiers who were looting the homes of poor people.  Randcald, a companion, died with him.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

DECEMBER 8, 2011 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF MARTIN RINCKART, ARCHDEACON OF EILENBURG

THE FEAST OF RICHARD BAXTER, ANGLICAN THEOLOGIAN

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Lord God,

you have surrounded us with so great a cloud of witnesses.

Grant that we, encouraged by the example of your servants Saints Arnulf of Metz and Germanus of Granfel,

may persevere in the course that is set before us and,

at the last, share in your eternal joy with all the saints in light,

through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.  Amen.

Micah 6:6-8

Psalm 9:1-10

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Luke 6:20-23

–Adapted from Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 59

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Revised on December 4, 2016

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++