December 1 Celebration of Saints
December 1 Celebration of Saints
Saint Eligius
Saint Eligius was born into an influential and well-educated family in Chaptelat, Aquitaine (now France) on June 11, 588.
At a young age, his father sent him to learn the trade of goldsmithing from the master of the Limoges mint. From there he went to work at the palace at Nuestria, where he created works of gold and bas-relief images for the bishop of Paris, Saint Germain.
Eligius lived in the royal household and was appointed master of the Marseilles mint. He was also chief counselor to King Dagobert I and a diplomat, meeting with visitors before they were granted an audience with the king.
He used the money he earned to give money to the impoverished and buy ransoms to free slaves who arrived at the Marseilles slave market. He would also have his servants travel throughout the countryside to cut the bodies of executed criminals down from the trees where they were hanged and bury them.
During that time Eligius also founded monasteries, convents in Paris and Noyon, restored the Paris basilica of Saint Marcial and built a new basilica in honor of Saint Paul.
The king died in 639 and Eligius stayed on in the royal household of the new King Clovis.
On March 14, 642, Bishop Acarius of Noyon died and Eligius was unanimously named his successor. As bishop, he spent 20 years in efforts to preach Christianity to the pagans in Flanders, Flemings and the Germanic tribes along the North Coast.
Bishop Eligius also had searchers locate the remains of several saints, including Saint Quentin, Saint Piatus and his martyred companions, and Saint Fursey.
He built a church and monastery for the remains of Saint Quentin and built several tombs for the remains of the other found saints, in addition to those of Saint Martin of Tours and Saint Denis.
Eligius died on December 1, 660 at the age of 72. He was buried at Noyon.
Attributes of the images of Saint Eligius may include him in bishop’s vestments holding a goldsmith’s hammer.
He is the patron saint of watch makers, coin collectors, craftsmen and women, gilders, goldsmiths, harness makers and saddlers, horses and those who work with them, jewelers, knife makers, laborers, locksmiths, metalworkers, miners, minters, tool makers and veterinarians.
Other Saints for Today
Other saints and the blessed beatified for this day include:
Saint Agericus, Saint Alexander Briant, Saint Ananias, Saint Ansanus, Blessed Marie-Clémentine Anuarite Nengapeta, Saint Candres, Saint Castritian, Blessed Charles de Foucauld, Saint Constantian, Saint Diodorus, Saint Edmund Campion, Saint Evasius, Saint Grwst, Blessed John Beche, Saint Leontius of Fréjus, Saint Lucius, Saint Marianus, Saint Natalia of Nicomedia, Saint Olympiades, Blessed Richard Langley and Saint Ursicinus of Brescia.
