In the year 672, Winfrid, who would eventually become Saint Boniface, was born in England. His family belonged to a higher aristocracy and was well-respected and wealthy. He dedicated himself to monastic life when he was young. His father, who had other intentions for him, was opposed to the notion altogether. He eventually gave in, and Winfrid was allowed to join the Benedictine Monastery of Adescancastre under the leadership of Abbot Winbert. Winfrid started his teaching career at the abbey school. He climbed the leadership ranks by tenacity and, at the age of 30, was appointed to the priest's position.
In 716, Winfrid embarked on a missionary journey to Frisia. By preaching to them in their language, he hoped to convert the locals. His own language, Old English, shared a dialect with Frisian. However, Winfrid was prevented from sharing the gospel by the conflict between Christian Frankish leader Charles Martel and the pagan Radbod, ruler of the Frisians. He was left with no choice but to go back to Nursling as a result.
In 718, Winfrid was given a mission to preach in Germany by Pope Gregory II, who had such high regard for him. The pope requested that Winfrid restructure the Frankish churches and introduce Roman Catholicism. He learned that the churches and monasteries in the German province of Bavaria offered true and sincere adoration to God. Additionally, he traveled to the Merovingian duchy of Alamannia, where he discovered that the local churches continued to practice Roman Catholicism.
However, the Roman-designated Christian region of Thuringia in Central Germany had revolted and assassinated the recently converted Duke Gotzbert and his son, Hethan II. The vast majority of people in this region were idolaters and atheists. Winfrid made unsuccessful attempts to change this terrible circumstance, which went against what Jesus Christ taught.
Winfrid viewed the passing of King Radbod of Frisia as a chance to spread the gospel and bring people to Christ. He traveled to Frisia, where he resided under the supervision of St. Willibrord for three years. He succeeded in converting many people from paganism while he was there. The vast majority of Christians who were forced to revert during Radbod's persecution did so and now worship Jesus Christ.
Winfrid returned to Thuringia after completing his mission in Frisia, where he continued to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Thanks to the assistance of two recently converted Germanic chiefs, he was able to create a monastery cell in Amoneburg. The native clergy were to receive their theological education at this site.
On November 30, 722, Pope Gregory II appointed Winfrid as a regional bishop as a result of his loyalty and commitment. He was given the new name Boniface. The Pope ordered the new bishop to be obeyed by the dioceses of Thuringia and Hesse. As the pope's representative, Boniface was to be protected by the Frankish monarch Charles Martel.
Boniface decided to eliminate the pagan temples on his own. He felled the Thor-honoring sacred oak tree in the year 723. People anticipated that Boniface would receive some sort of punishment from the pagan gods for destroying Thor's altar. The bishop, however, suffered no harm, and the populace quickly accepted Christianity. Boniface continued and used the wood from the oak to erect a chapel there. The pope appointed Boniface to the position of Archbishop as a result of his perseverance and commitment.
To fully dedicate himself to the task of bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to the pagan states, Boniface resigned from his position as Archbishop in 738. Pope Gregory III, however, rejected his resignation and instead elevated him by appointing him as a legate of the Holy See.
In addition, he received Mainz, a crucial Frankish fortress, as his Metropolitan See in 745. With the power granted to him, Boniface went on to build the bishoprics of Passau, Salzburg, Regensburg, and Freising.
Boniface never gave up on trying to convert the Frisians. He returned to Frisia in 754 and performed numerous baptisms there. At a location halfway between Franeker and Groningen, he called for a general assembly. However, a gang of armed pagan residents came. They were enraged by Boniface's efforts to eradicate their indigenous religion. On June 5th, 754, they killed him and his 53 companions. He was laid to rest at Fulda's abbey church.
His feast day is celebrated on June 5. He is the patron saint of Germany, Fulda, World Youth Day and brewers.
Other Saints of the Day
Saint Adalar
Saint Dorotheus of Gaza
Saint Felix of Fritzlar
Saint Marcian
Saint Waccar