Saint Rigobert, Archbishop of Rheims 773 A.D.
by VP
Posted on Sunday January 04, 2026 at 12:50AM in Saints
Saint Ribogert was born of illustrious parents, and in his youth entered the monastic life. The modesty of his life, his piety, and the simplicity of his manners, caused him to be nominated Archbishop of Rheims, which was his native town, on the death of Archbishop Reolus, during the old age of whom the Church of Rheims had lapsed into a very bad state. Piety had languished, Vice predominated, and both the clerics and the people seemed to be running wild when Rigobert was raised to the See. But he, by exhorting, by correcting, and by punishing the people, succeeded in bringing them to better manners.
Gaul was at this time governed by Pepin, for whom the Saint always showed great respect. One day, when King Pepin came to hunt in a wood near Rheims, the Archbishop sent him a present, and the King, turning to 'his friends, praised him to them, and then requested to ask what he would, and it should be given him. The Archbishop, with great modesty, asked only for the gift of a house in which he might exercise the cure of souls, and incite them to good works. The King was vexed that he had not asked for more, and told him he would give him with the house as much land as he could walk round while the King was at dinner. Rigobert accordingly walked round the land, and wherever his feet trod fresh grass was always afterwards to be seen, which was never injured, by summer's -heat or winter's storms.
But ; after the death of Pepin, Charles Martel, his son, treated the good Archbishop; who had baptized him, very badly, because when a great contest arose between Charles and a certain lord about the position of Mayor of the Palace, and they both went to the different towns to solicit votes, Rigobert. would not allow Charles to enter Rheims. Charles was furious, and after he had gained his cause, he drove the Archbishop from his See.
It happened one day that as Saint Rigobert was walking with his boy, he met a courtier of Charles Martel, who gave him a goose as a present. The boy took it in his arms to carry it home, but it escaped and flew away; The Archbishop laughed, but before he reached his house, the bird Hew back into the arms of the boy, Saint Rigobert, however, would not allow it to be killed. Saint Rigobert died in the year 773, and many miracles were wrought at his tomb.
Source: Saints of the order of St. Benedict
St. Titus
by VP
Posted on Sunday January 04, 2026 at 12:00AM in Saints
GOOD EXAMPLE. -St. Titus, the disciple of St. Paul, and one of the first-fruits of the great Apostle's victories, accompanied him through his evangelical wanderings, sharing with him his toils and perils. He was present with him at the first General Council, held in Jerusalem in the fifty-first year of the Christian era, and followed his master to Ephesus, whence the Apostle sent him to Corinth, towards the end of the year 56, to appease the discord and the troubles which afflicted the bosom of the infant Church. From Corinth St. Titus went to rejoin St. Paul at Troad, a town in Macedonia; he accompanied St. Paul to Rome, returning with him, subsequently, to the East. Then it was, in the year 63, that the great Apostle placed him as bishop, in Crete. Titus did not, however, remain constantly there; for we find him, later on, at Nicopolis and in Dalmatia, ever intent upon spreading a knowledge of the Gospel. It is, however, believed that he returned to his diocese after the martyrdom of St. Paul, remained there for the rest of his days, and died at a very advanced age.
MORAL REFLECTION. -If it be not vouchsafed to us to fashion our lives on the apostolic model of St. Titus, let us at least endeavour to reduce to practice the counsel given him by the great Apostle: "In all things show yourself an example of good works; in doctrine, in integrity, in gravity."-(Titus ii. 7.) Pictorial half hours with the saints by Abbe Auguste François Lecanu
