Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints
St. Hilary of Poitiers was a layman who reluctantly became bishop of Poitiers in ca. 350 A.D. Since the Arians were influencing the Church at the time, Hilary defended the orthodox teaching of the Church against them. He fought against Arian Bishop Saturninus, and as a consequence was exiled to Phrygia. After some time, Hilary was able to return to Poitiers and was instrumental in a synod's deposition and excommunication of Saturninus. Hilary was a good theologian. He wrote many treatises and was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX in 1851 A.D. (died ca. 368 A.D.).
St. Agrecius was bishop of Trèves and attended the Council of Arles in 314 A.D. As bishop, he devoted himself to reconverting the people back to the Christian faith in the area around Trèves. Nothing more is known of Agrecius save for the story that his appointment as bishop was upon the request of Empress Helena, who also sent Agrecius some of the relics of the Cross of Christ (died ca. 329 A.D.).
St. Berno joined the Benedictines at St. Martin's, Autun, and became abbot of Baume-les-Messieurs. He also founded the monastery of Gigny and became its abbot. After some time, Duke William of Aquitaine made him abbot of Cluny. St. Berno is the first of the great abbots of the monastery at Cluny, in France - a monastic reform movement that had an enormous influence on the spirit of monasticism in Europe (died ca. 927 A.D.).
St. Remigius (d. 533 A.D.) was bishop of Rheims and apostle of the Franks. He baptized the king of the Franks, Clovis I (481-511 A.D.), as well as his whole family and followers - some three thousand in all. He is one of the patron saint of France together with St. Joan of Arc, St. Denis, and St. Bernadette Soubirous, St. Martin of Tours, and St. Therese of Lisieux.
Related blog posts:
- More details on the life and work of St. Hilary of Poitiers, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
- Sts. Berno, Odo and Aymard: The First Three Benedictine Abbots of Cluny, France, Learn more
- St. Remigius, St. Bernadette, St. Joan of Arc, St. Therese of the Child Jesus, St. Denis: The Patron Saints of France, Learn more
Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [January 13]
- Sts. Hermylas and Stratonicus, Martyrs
This day in the history of Christianity
George Fox (1624-1691 A.D.) died on January 13, 1691 A.D. He was the founder of the Society of Friends, or Quakers. George Fox's life was one of commitment to peace, human equality, and the poor, a commitment for which he paid with the price of imprisonment and persecution.
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