Every June 5th it is commemorated Saint Boniface of Mainz, martyr, “the Apostle of Germany”, bishop of Anglo-Saxon origin who evangelized the central region of that country.
Boniface was the great organizer of the Church in modern-day Germany, in which he established a hierarchy under the direct jurisdiction of the Holy See.
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His gifts as a tireless missionary and reformer generated important fruits of holiness in 8th century Europe. In addition, his name was linked to the history of the Christmas tree.
Winfrid – the saint’s first name – was born in the year 680 in Wessex, England. He joined Nursling Abbey, in the diocese of Winchester, at a very young age, where he was appointed charge of the theological school. While at Nursling, Saint Boniface wrote the first Latin grammar in the English language.
He who works good
At the age of 30 he received the Priestly Order, concentrating with greater dedication on the study of the Bible. In 718 Pope Saint Gregory II summoned Winfrid to give him a very specific mission: to bring the Word of God to the pagan peoples of Europe.
The Holy Father listened with pleasure to Winfrido’s affirmative response and told him: “Soldier of Christ, your name will be Boniface.” “Boniface” means “benefactor.” The saint then left for Germany, crossed the Alps, crossed Bavaria and arrived in Hesse.
Some time later, Winfrid sent a letter to the Holy See with a satisfactory report on the growth of the Church. Then the Pope called him back to Rome with the intention of entrusting him with the bishopric.
On St. Andrew’s Day in the year 722, Boniface was consecrated regional bishop with the general jurisdiction of Germany. The saint returned to Hesse and as a first measure he proposed to eradicate the pagan superstitions that subjugated the German people and that represented the main obstacle to evangelization.
Apostle of Germany
In the year 731, Pope Gregory III, successor of Gregory II, sent Saint Boniface the letter with his appointment as metropolitan bishop of all the Germanic territories beyond the Rhine, with authority to create bishoprics where he deemed it appropriate.
On his third trip to Rome, he was also named delegate of the Apostolic See. Saint Boniface and his disciple Saint Sturmi founded the abbey of Fulda in 741, which eventually became the “Monte Cassino” of Germany.
On June 5, 754, the saint was preparing to celebrate a Confirmation on the eve of Pentecost when a horde of hostile pagans appeared and brutally attacked the group of Christians with spears and swords.
“God will save our souls,” Boniface was heard shouting as he raised the Gospel in his hands. A sword split the book and pierced the saint’s body, killing him.
His remains rest in the Fulda monastery to this day.
Regarding Saint Boniface, Pope Benedict XVI noted in 2009 that “his tireless work, his gift for organization and his moldable, friendly and firm character were decisive for the success of his trips.”
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If you want to know more about the life of Saint Boniface, we recommend reading this article from the Catholic Encyclopedia: https://ec.aciprensa.com/wiki/San_Bonifacio.
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