written by Mary Katherine Laird
St. Boniface, the Apostle of the Germans, originally named Winfrid, or Wynfrith, was born around 673 in the kingdom of Wessex, what is now known as Devon, England. He was descended from a noble family and from his earliest years he received a religious education. Inspired by missionary monks who visited his home, Winfrid felt called to a religious vocation. After much difficulty he obtained his parents' permission and went to the Monastery of Adescancastre (modern Exeter ) where he was trained in piety and continued his education. Winfred later went to the Abbey of Nhutscelle between Winchester and Southampton. Here, leading a simple and studious life under Abbot Winbert, he quickly progressed in holiness and wisdom, becoming known for his profound understanding of Sacred Scriptures. Winfrid made his profession as a member of the Benedictine Order and at the age of thirty he was ordained a priest. He soon acquired fame in both Church and civil societies, but desired only to preach the Word to the Old Saxons, the people of the German nations. Finally receiving approval from his abbot, the godly scholar went to gain the permission of the Pope.
On Winfrid's arrival in Rome in the fall of 718, Pope Gregory II welcomed him kindly, and after having satisfied himself in as to the orthodoxy, morals and the purity of his motives, gave him full authority to preach the Gospel to the pagans in Germany to the right of the Rhine . The Holy Father ordered him to remain faithful to the Roman practice in the administration of the Sacrament of Baptism and to consult with the Holy See when necessary. On 30 November, 722 (723), he was consecrated a regional bishop, with the name Boniface.
According to his early biographer Willibald, Boniface decided to show the pagans how utterly powerless were the gods in whom they placed their confidence. After calling upon the god to strike him down if he cut the holy tree, Boniface felled the oak sacred to the thunder-god Thor, at Geismar, near Fritzlar. The heathens were astonished that no thunderbolt from the hand of Thor destroyed the offender, and many were converted. He built a chapel dedicated to St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles from its wood at the site where today stands the cathedral of Fritzlar.
After being named papal legate for Germany by Pope Gregory III, Boniface was asked to organized the dioceses of the church in German lands. Later he was approached by the Carolingian rulers Pepin the Short and Carloman to preside over a series of reform synods for the Frankish Church. About 745, Boniface's own diocese was finally fixed at Mainz . He resigned in 752 to continue missionary work.
Boniface had never relinquished his hope of converting the Frisians, and in 754 he set out with a party for Frisia. He baptized a great many and convened a general meeting for Confirmation at a place near Dokkum. Instead of his converts, they were met by a band of armed locals who slew the elderly bishop and his retinue. Willibald states in his vitae that Boniface persuaded his (armed) comrades to lay down their arms: "Cease fighting. Lay down your arms, for we are told in Scripture not to render evil for good but to overcome evil by good." Having killed Boniface and his company, these Frisian bandits ransacked their possessions , and then started killing each other, over the division of the spoils. Those brigands who survived were dismayed to find that the delegation's baggage contained books and Sacred Scripture instead of gold, silver and jewels. They did not bother to carry away these objects, which were later collected by the Christians who came to avenge the martyrs and rescue their remains. The body of Boniface was carried to Fulda for burial where it still rests. The book the bishop was reading and which he is said to have lifted above his head in order to save it when the axes fell is also at Fulda.
Of interest: After the above-mentioned felling of the pagan oak (which is historically documented), many of the astounded Germans fearfully recognized the hand of God in this event and humbly asked Boniface for guidance. The Bishop, we are told, pointed to a small fir tree that had miraculously remained upright and intact beside the debris and broken branches of the fallen oak. Boniface was familiar with the popular custom of taking an evergreen plant into the house in winter and asked everyone to take home a fir tree. This particular tree signifies peace, and as an evergreen it also symbolizes immortality. With its top pointing upwards, it also indicates Heaven.
This symbol remains part of Christian culture as the Christmas tree.
Saint Boniface's feast day is celebrated on 5 June in the Roman Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church, the Anglican Communion and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Among the emblems of Boniface are an oak, an axe, a sword, a book.
Sources:
Wikipeida
The Catholic Encyclopedia
Lexicon Universal Encyclopedia
Sources:
Wikipeida
The Catholic Encyclopedia
Lexicon Universal Encyclopedia
