SAINTS COMMEMORATED IN JUNE
5 June Saint Boniface
The Apostle of the Germans, born Wynfryth in the
kingdom of Wessex (c.672), probably at Crediton
(now in Devon, England), was a missionary who
propagated Christianity in the Frankish Empire
during the 8 th Century, He is the patron saint of
Germany and the first archbishop of Mainz, He was
killed on 5 June 754 in Dokkum, Frisia , buried in
Fulda, which became a site of pilgrimage. Some
traditions credit him with the invention of the
Christmas tree (although this is not mentioned in the
vitae). Through his efforts to reorganise and regulate
the church of the Franks, he helped shape Western Christianity.
9 June St Columba (born 7 Dec 521, died 9 June 597)
Irish abbot and missionary, he studied in Ireland under St Finnan, a dispute
with him led to war and exile, but he remained
active in Irish politics, became a diplomat among
the tribes. He founded Iona as a base for the
mission to the Picts, but also Irish abbeys of Kells,
Derry and Swords. He was a man of letters and
transcribed ca 300 Latin books, apparently the
Book of Kells was produced in Iona. 3 of his
hymns survive among early Latin hymns. He died
and was buried in Iona. The Monymusk Reliquary
from around 750 contained a relic of St Columba.
It became a powerful symbol of nationhood & was carried before the Scots
army in battle; is thought to be the Brechbannock, which was carried by
Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn 1314, now it is in the National Museum of
Scotland,
11 June St Barnabas
He is seen as the patron saint of argument, since he is
known to have lived through much argument among
the early Christians. A friend of St Paul’s and a Jew
from the tribe of Levi, he probably studied with St Paul
under the Rabbi Gamaliel and introduced Paul after his
conversion to the Christians in Jerusalem. He stood by him as they argued
with them about the necessity for non-Jewish Christians to obey mosaic
laws. Later Barnabas fell out with Paul, who did not want to take Barnabas’
cousin John Mark on his mission travels. Barnabas went to Cyprus alone,
and the two never saw each other again
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