Saint
Boniface (also known as Winfrid; Wynfrith; Apostle of Germany) was
born at Crediton, Devonshire, England in 675 A.D. He was educated at
the Benedictine monastery at Exeter, England, and he joined the
Benedictine Order at Nutshalling, and was ordained in 705.
In
716 he attempted a missionary journey to Friesland but had to abandon
the effort due to political disturbances. He was offered the abbacy
at Nutshalling, but declined and was sent to Germany east of the
Rhine as missionary by Pope Gregory II in 719. There he was assisted
by Saint Albinus, Saint Abel, and Saint Agatha. He destroyed pagan
idols and temples and built churches on the temple sites.
He
was called to Rome by Gregory II who consecrated him regional bishop
in 722. Upon returning Boniface encountered a group worshipping at
the sacred oak of the Norse thunder god, Thor, at Geismar. Boniface
walked up to the tree, removed his shirt, took up an axe, and he
hacked down the six foot wide wooden god. Boniface stood on the
trunk, and asked, "How stands your mighty god? My God is
stronger than he."
In
732 Pope Gregory III made Boniface Archbishop with no definite
province. He founded or restored the dioceses of Bavaria, Thuringia,
and Franconia. In 741 he was commissioned by Pope Zacharias to reform
the whole Frankish church, after which success he was made Archbishop
of Mainz in 748.
In
754 Saint Boniface resigned his see to accomplish his dream of
missionary work in Friesland. He built a number of churches there,
but, he was attacked by pagans, and he along with 52 of his converts
were martyred at Friesland, Holland.
Saint
Boniface is buried in the cathedral at Fulda.
Saint
Boniface is the Patron Saint of brewers, file cutters, tailors, the
diocese of Fulda, Germany, and the archdiocese of Saint-Boniface,
Manitoba, Canada.
