Saints’ of the Week

S. Aelred of Rievaulx – 12th January

Aelred was born in Hexham, Northumberland in 1110, the son of a married priest. He spent several years at the court of King David I of Scotland, rising to become Master of the Household before entering the Cistercian monastery of Rievaulx in about 1134. In 1147 he became Abbot of Rievaulx where he would spend the remainder of his life. Under his administration the size of the abbey rose to six hundred monks. He wrote several influential books on spirituality and seven works of history, addressing two of them to Henry II of England. He suffered from a painful illness in his latter years and died on January 12th 1167.

Benedict Biscop – 12th January

Born c.628, Benedict Biscop was an Anglo-Saxon Abbot and the founder of Monkwearmouth and Jarrow Priory. At the age of twenty-five he made the first of five trips to Rome accompanying his friend, S. Wilfrid the Elder. After this first journey he returned full of fervour and enthusiasm for the good of the English Church. In 674, King Egfrith granted him land for the purpose of building a monastery and he went back to the continent in search of masons who could build in the Romanesque style. Benedict finally built two monasteries, with the idea of building a model monastery for England, sharing his experience of the Catholic Church in Europe. His monastery at Jarrow (S. Peter’s), was the first ecclesial building to be built in stone, and it contained an impressive library where Bede – his student – was to write his famous works. In his final years Benedict was bed-ridden, but suffered his illness with great patience and faith. He died on 12th January 690.

S. Hilary – 13th January

Hilary was born at Poitiers at the beginning of the fourth century and was consecrated Bishop of that city in 350. At that time Arianism was threatening to overrun the Western Church; to repel the disruption was the great task which Hilary undertook. One of his first steps was to secure the excommunication, by those of the Gallican hierarchy who still remained orthodox, of Saturninus, the Arian bishop of Arles and of Ursacius and Valens, two of his prominent supporters. He was exiled for four years by the Emperor Constantine for this reason, during which time he wrote his Treatise on the Trinity and many other works.

S. Kentigern – 13th January

Kentigern or Mungo, was the 6th century apostle of the Brythonic Kingdom of Strathclyde and is the Patron Saint of Glasgow. He was brought up by Saint Serf and at the age of twenty-five began his missionary labours on the Clyde. He built his church at the confluence of the Clyde and the Molendinar Burn where the present medieval cathedral now stands. For thirteen years he laboured in the district living a life of austerity and converting many by his holy example and preaching. Compelled eventually to leave the district by a strong anti-christian movement, he retired to Wales, returning later when invited to do so by the new King of Strathclyde – Riderch Hael. He eventually returned to Glasgow where a large community grew up around him and where he was visited by S. Columba. In old age he became very feeble and his chin had to be set in place with a bandage. He died in his bath on 13th January.

S. Anthony – 17th January

Anthony was born near Herakleopolis Magna in Lower Egypt in about 260 AD. On the death of his parents he gave his inheritance to the poor and went into the desert where he lived a life of penance. Anthony is notable for being one of the first ascetics to attempt living in the desert proper, completely cut off from civilization. His anchoritic (isolated) lifestyle was remarkably harsher than his predecessors. Many followed him and he is known as the father of monks. He supported those who suffered for the faith under the persecutions of Diocletian and he helped St. Athanasius in his fight against the Arians. He died in 356.