From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

April 26th - Saint Richarius of Celles
(Also known as Ricario, Riquier)
d. 645

THE town of Abbeville claims to derive its name from the abbey of St.
Richarius or Riquier, which once owned the land upon which the city
now stands. The saint was born at Celles, near Amiens, at a period
when the population of the district was still largely pagan. Two Irish
priests who landed on the coast and sought to pass through the country
met with a hostile reception, and would have been seriously
ill-treated had not Richarius protected them. In return they gave him instruction, as a result of which he was inspired with a desire to
become a priest. After a very penitential preparation he received holy
orders and then made a stay of some length in England, apparently to
perfect himself in the science of the saints. Upon his return to
France, he began to preach with extraordinary zeal and with great
success.

He strongly influenced St. Adalbald and St. Rictrudis, and to King
Dagobert he spoke on the dangers and vanities of this world, warning
him of his responsibilities.

=E2=80=9CHe who has to obey will only have to render account to God of himself=E2=80=9D, he declared, =E2=80=9Cbut he who commands will also have =
to answer
for all his subjects=E2=80=9D.

With increasing age came the desire to yield up the charge of the
abbey he bad founded at Celles, and so Richarius withdrew to a
hermitage, in which he spent the rest of his life in the company of a
disciple, called Sigobard. Over this cell afterwards rose the
monastery of Forest-Montiers, between Rue and Cr=C3=A9=C3=A7y.

We have two noteworthy accounts of St. Riquier, the one by Alcuin, the
other by Angil=C2=ADramnus; they are printed both in the Acta Sanctorum,
April, vol. iii, and by Mabillon. See also Corblet, Hagiographie
d'Amiens, vol. iii, pp. 417-462; and MGH., Scriptores Merov., vol.
vii, pp. 438-453, for the rhymed vita by Hariulf.


Bible Quote:
Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect hospitality, for through it
some have unknowingly entertained angels. (Hebrews 13:1-2)


<><><><>
Angels--St. Raphael

St. Raphael, the third of the chieftains of the Heavenly Host,
receives from God a power to heal all sickness and infirmity, and
repair the ravages that are wrought by sin. His very name indicates
his office: The Healing of God. As God sometimes allows Satan to
spread disease among men, as in the case of holy Job, so He employs
St. Raphael to avert sickness and restore health. Hence he is ourjavascript=
:;
model in the privilege that God grants to all, of helping to alleviate
misery, and bind up and cure the wounds of men. Do I heal the ills of
those around me? Do I not too often aggravate them?

It was St. Raphael who was sent to keep the young Tobias safe from
dangers of body and soul during his journey to seek for a wife among
his kindred, and to furnish him with means to bring to nought the
attempt of the devil to destroy him; to cure his aged father of his
blindness, and to leave peace and happiness behind him. God often
sends an Angel to keep us safe, though we too often scarce recognize
our need of it, and make little account of our heavenly protector.

It is generally believed to have been St. Raphael who was sent to
impart to the Pool of Bethsaida this power to heal him, who first
bathed in it after the Angel's visit (John V. 4). We little know how
often God employs angelic agency in our behalf. Men often attribute to
natural causes what is done by angelic hands. Remember their agency,
and thank God for their aid.
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)