• February 15th - St. Sigefride, or Sigfrid, Bishop, Apostle of Sweden

    From rich@1:396/4 to All on Thu Feb 14 07:59:44 2019
    From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

    February 15th - St. Sigefride, or Sigfrid, Bishop, Apostle of Sweden

    OUR zealous ancestors having received the light of faith, propagated
    the same throughout all the northern provinces of Europe. St.
    Anscarius had planted the faith in Sweden, in 830; but it relapsed
    soon after into idolatry. King Olas Scobcong entreated King Edred, who
    died in 951, to send him missionaries to preach the gospel in this
    country. Sigefride, an eminent priest of York, undertook that mission,
    and on the 21st of June, in 950, arrived at Wexlow (V=C3=A4xj=C3=B6), in Gothland, in the territory of Smaland. He first erected a cross, then
    built a church of wood, celebrated the divine mysteries, and preached
    to the people. 12 principal men of the province were converted by him,
    and one who died, was buried after the Christian manner, and a cross
    placed upon his grave. So great numbers were in a short time brought
    to the faith, that the cross of Christ was triumphantly planted in all
    the 12 tribes into which the inhabitants of South-Gothland were
    divided.

    The fountain near the mountain of Ostrabo, since called Wexlow (V=C3=A4xj=C3=B6), in which St. Sigefride baptised the catechumens, long retained the names of the 12 first converts, engraved on a monument.
    King Olas was much pleased with the accounts he heard of the man of
    God, and many flocked from remote parts, out of mere curiosity to hear
    his doctrine, and to see him minister at the altar, admiring the rich
    ornaments of linen, and over them of silk, which he wore in
    celebrating the divine mysteries, with a mitre on his head, and a
    crosier, or pastoral staff in his hands. Also the gold and silver
    vessels which he had brought with him for the use of the altar, and
    the dignity and majesty of the ceremonies of the Christian worship,
    attracted their attention. But the sublime truths of our religion, and
    the mortification, disinterestedness, zeal, and sanctity of the
    apostolic missionaries, engaged them to give them a favourable
    reception, and to open their eyes to the evidence of the divine
    revelation.

    St. Sigefride ordained two bishops, the one of East, the other of West Gothland, or Lingkoping, and Scara. The see of Wexlow (V=C3=A4xj=C3=B6) he continued himself to govern so long as he lived. His three nephews,
    Unaman a priest, and Sunaman and Wiaman, the one a deacon, the other a subdeacon, were his chief assistants in his apostolic labours. Having
    intrusted the administration of his see of Wexlow(V=C3=A4xj=C3=B6) to Unama=
    n,
    and left his two brothers to assist and comfort him, the saint himself
    set out to carry the light of the gospel into the midland and northern provinces. King Olas received him with great respect, and was baptized
    by him, with his whole court and his army.

    St. Sigefride founded many churches, and consecrated a bishop of
    Upsal, and another of Strengues. The former of these sees had been
    founded by St. Anscharius in 830, and the bishop was declared by Pope
    Alexander III. in 1160, metropolitan and primate of the whole kingdom.
    During the absence of our saint, a troop of idolatrous rebels, partly
    out of hatred of the Christian religion, and partly for booty,
    plundered the church of Wexlow, and barbarously murdered the holy
    pastor Unaman and his two brothers. Their bodies they buried in the
    midst of a forest, where they had always remained hid. But the
    murderers put the heads of the martyrs into a box, which, with a great
    stone they had fastened to it, they threw into a great pond. But they
    were afterwards taken out, and kept richly enshrined in the church of
    Wexlow (V=C3=A4xj=C3=B6) till their relics were removed by the Lutherans. T= hese
    three holy martyrs were honoured in Sweden. Upon the news of this
    massacre St. Sigefride hastened to Wexlow (V=C3=A4xj=C3=B6) to repair the r= uins
    of his church. The king resolved to put the murderers to death; but
    Sigefride, by his earnest entreaties, prevailed on him to spare their
    lives. However, he condemned them to pay a heavy fine, which he would
    have bestowed on the saint, but he refused to accept a single farthing
    of it notwithstanding his extreme poverty, and the difficulties which
    he had to struggle with, in laying the foundation of that new church.
    He had inherited the spirit of the apostles in an heroic degree.

    Our saint died about the year 1002, and was buried in his cathedral at
    Wexlow (V=C3=A4xj=C3=B6), where his tomb became famous for miracles. He was canonized about the year 1158, by Pope Adrian IV., [1] an Englishman,
    who had himself laboured zealously, and with great success, in the
    conversion of Norway, and other northern countries, about a 140 years
    after St. Sigefride, who was honoured by the Swedes as their apostle,
    till the change of religion among them. [2]

    Note 1. Vastove, Vinea Aquilonis.
    Note 2. In the life of St. Sigefride, published by Benzelius, it is
    mentioned, that St. Sigefride, upon his first arrival in Sweden,
    preached chiefly by interpreters.

    From Joan. Magnus, Hist. Goth. l. 17. c. 20. quoted by Bollandus, and
    chiefly from a life of this saint, compiled at Wexlow about the year
    1205, published from an ancient MS. by the care of Ericus Benzelius,
    junior, in his Monumenta Historica vetera Ecclesi=C3=A6 Suevogothic=C3=A6, printed at Upsal in 1709, p. 1. ad p. 14. and in Prolegom. sect. 1.
    The editor was not able to discover the author's name: upon which h=
    e
    repeats the remark of the learned Maussac (in Diss. Critica ad
    Harpocrat.) that =E2=80=9Cmany monkish writers endeavoured to conceal their names out of humility.=E2=80=9D On which see Mabillon, Diar. Ital. p. 36. Benzelius gives us a considerable fragment of a second life of this
    holy prelate, ib. p. 21. ad 29. and some verses of Bishop Brynoth the
    3rd, on St. Sigfrid and the other bishops of this province, ib. p.72.


    Saint Quote:
    A man who has been assiduous in acquiring the fruits of love will not
    cease loving even if he suffers a thousand calamities. Let Stephen,
    the disciple of Christ, and others like him persuade you of the truth
    of this (cf. Acts 7:60). Our Lord Himself prayed for His murderers and
    asked the Father to forgive them because they did not know what they
    were doing (cf. Luke 23:34).
    --St. Maximos the Confessor

    Bible Quote:
    "But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of
    you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." (Heb 3:13)


    <><><><>
    St Anthony's Prayer for the help of the Holy Spirit

    O God, Send forth your Holy Spirit;
    into my heart--that I may perceive,
    into my mind--that I may remember,
    and into my soul--that I may meditate.

    Inspire me to speak
    with piety, holiness, tenderness, and mercy.
    Teach, guide, and direct my thoughts
    and senses from the beginning to the end.
    May your grace ever help and correct me,

    and may I be strengthened now
    with wisdom from on high,
    for the sake of your infinite mercy.

    St. Anthony of Padua (1195-1231)


    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)
  • From rich@1:396/4 to All on Thu Feb 14 07:59:44 2019
    From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

    February 15th - St. Sigefride, or Sigfrid, Bishop, Apostle of Sweden

    OUR zealous ancestors having received the light of faith, propagated
    the same throughout all the northern provinces of Europe. St.
    Anscarius had planted the faith in Sweden, in 830; but it relapsed
    soon after into idolatry. King Olas Scobcong entreated King Edred, who
    died in 951, to send him missionaries to preach the gospel in this
    country. Sigefride, an eminent priest of York, undertook that mission,
    and on the 21st of June, in 950, arrived at Wexlow (V=C3=A4xj=C3=B6), in Gothland, in the territory of Smaland. He first erected a cross, then
    built a church of wood, celebrated the divine mysteries, and preached
    to the people. 12 principal men of the province were converted by him,
    and one who died, was buried after the Christian manner, and a cross
    placed upon his grave. So great numbers were in a short time brought
    to the faith, that the cross of Christ was triumphantly planted in all
    the 12 tribes into which the inhabitants of South-Gothland were
    divided.

    The fountain near the mountain of Ostrabo, since called Wexlow (V=C3=A4xj=C3=B6), in which St. Sigefride baptised the catechumens, long retained the names of the 12 first converts, engraved on a monument.
    King Olas was much pleased with the accounts he heard of the man of
    God, and many flocked from remote parts, out of mere curiosity to hear
    his doctrine, and to see him minister at the altar, admiring the rich
    ornaments of linen, and over them of silk, which he wore in
    celebrating the divine mysteries, with a mitre on his head, and a
    crosier, or pastoral staff in his hands. Also the gold and silver
    vessels which he had brought with him for the use of the altar, and
    the dignity and majesty of the ceremonies of the Christian worship,
    attracted their attention. But the sublime truths of our religion, and
    the mortification, disinterestedness, zeal, and sanctity of the
    apostolic missionaries, engaged them to give them a favourable
    reception, and to open their eyes to the evidence of the divine
    revelation.

    St. Sigefride ordained two bishops, the one of East, the other of West Gothland, or Lingkoping, and Scara. The see of Wexlow (V=C3=A4xj=C3=B6) he continued himself to govern so long as he lived. His three nephews,
    Unaman a priest, and Sunaman and Wiaman, the one a deacon, the other a subdeacon, were his chief assistants in his apostolic labours. Having
    intrusted the administration of his see of Wexlow(V=C3=A4xj=C3=B6) to Unama=
    n,
    and left his two brothers to assist and comfort him, the saint himself
    set out to carry the light of the gospel into the midland and northern provinces. King Olas received him with great respect, and was baptized
    by him, with his whole court and his army.

    St. Sigefride founded many churches, and consecrated a bishop of
    Upsal, and another of Strengues. The former of these sees had been
    founded by St. Anscharius in 830, and the bishop was declared by Pope
    Alexander III. in 1160, metropolitan and primate of the whole kingdom.
    During the absence of our saint, a troop of idolatrous rebels, partly
    out of hatred of the Christian religion, and partly for booty,
    plundered the church of Wexlow, and barbarously murdered the holy
    pastor Unaman and his two brothers. Their bodies they buried in the
    midst of a forest, where they had always remained hid. But the
    murderers put the heads of the martyrs into a box, which, with a great
    stone they had fastened to it, they threw into a great pond. But they
    were afterwards taken out, and kept richly enshrined in the church of
    Wexlow (V=C3=A4xj=C3=B6) till their relics were removed by the Lutherans. T= hese
    three holy martyrs were honoured in Sweden. Upon the news of this
    massacre St. Sigefride hastened to Wexlow (V=C3=A4xj=C3=B6) to repair the r= uins
    of his church. The king resolved to put the murderers to death; but
    Sigefride, by his earnest entreaties, prevailed on him to spare their
    lives. However, he condemned them to pay a heavy fine, which he would
    have bestowed on the saint, but he refused to accept a single farthing
    of it notwithstanding his extreme poverty, and the difficulties which
    he had to struggle with, in laying the foundation of that new church.
    He had inherited the spirit of the apostles in an heroic degree.

    Our saint died about the year 1002, and was buried in his cathedral at
    Wexlow (V=C3=A4xj=C3=B6), where his tomb became famous for miracles. He was canonized about the year 1158, by Pope Adrian IV., [1] an Englishman,
    who had himself laboured zealously, and with great success, in the
    conversion of Norway, and other northern countries, about a 140 years
    after St. Sigefride, who was honoured by the Swedes as their apostle,
    till the change of religion among them. [2]

    Note 1. Vastove, Vinea Aquilonis.
    Note 2. In the life of St. Sigefride, published by Benzelius, it is
    mentioned, that St. Sigefride, upon his first arrival in Sweden,
    preached chiefly by interpreters.

    From Joan. Magnus, Hist. Goth. l. 17. c. 20. quoted by Bollandus, and
    chiefly from a life of this saint, compiled at Wexlow about the year
    1205, published from an ancient MS. by the care of Ericus Benzelius,
    junior, in his Monumenta Historica vetera Ecclesi=C3=A6 Suevogothic=C3=A6, printed at Upsal in 1709, p. 1. ad p. 14. and in Prolegom. sect. 1.
    The editor was not able to discover the author's name: upon which h=
    e
    repeats the remark of the learned Maussac (in Diss. Critica ad
    Harpocrat.) that =E2=80=9Cmany monkish writers endeavoured to conceal their names out of humility.=E2=80=9D On which see Mabillon, Diar. Ital. p. 36. Benzelius gives us a considerable fragment of a second life of this
    holy prelate, ib. p. 21. ad 29. and some verses of Bishop Brynoth the
    3rd, on St. Sigfrid and the other bishops of this province, ib. p.72.


    Saint Quote:
    A man who has been assiduous in acquiring the fruits of love will not
    cease loving even if he suffers a thousand calamities. Let Stephen,
    the disciple of Christ, and others like him persuade you of the truth
    of this (cf. Acts 7:60). Our Lord Himself prayed for His murderers and
    asked the Father to forgive them because they did not know what they
    were doing (cf. Luke 23:34).
    --St. Maximos the Confessor

    Bible Quote:
    "But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of
    you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." (Heb 3:13)


    <><><><>
    St Anthony's Prayer for the help of the Holy Spirit

    O God, Send forth your Holy Spirit;
    into my heart--that I may perceive,
    into my mind--that I may remember,
    and into my soul--that I may meditate.

    Inspire me to speak
    with piety, holiness, tenderness, and mercy.
    Teach, guide, and direct my thoughts
    and senses from the beginning to the end.
    May your grace ever help and correct me,

    and may I be strengthened now
    with wisdom from on high,
    for the sake of your infinite mercy.

    St. Anthony of Padua (1195-1231)


    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)