The National Shrine of Saint Jude is currently selling a number of saints’ prayer cards that were created and printed in the early years of this peaceful place. They are all beautifully prepared, in full colour and mostly A7 size or larger. Most of them include a prayer to the saint on the back. You can purchase these, here.
Most of the saints are well known, but one saint that intrigued us at the Shrine office was St Garmon. Here is a saint that I suspect most of our readers have not heard about, so we thought we would take the opportunity in this news blog to tell you.
Who was St Garmon?
Well, St Garmon is also known as St Germanus of Auxerre.
Germanus of Auxerre (c. 378 – c. 448) was a bishop of Auxerre in Gaul. He is a saint in both the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, commemorated on July 31. He visited Britain in around 429 and the records of this visit provide valuable information on the state of post-Roman British society. In Britain, he helped to fire up Christianity, and made sure that the British church did not break away from the correct teachings.
Saint Germanus's tomb continues to be venerated in the church of the Abbey of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre, which, although now part of municipal museum, remains open for worship at stated times.
The cult of Saint Germanus of Auxerre spread in northern France, hence the church Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois facing the Louvre in Paris.
In the 2004 edition of the Roman Martyrology, Germanus is listed under 31 July. He is described as 'passing at Ravenna, a bishop who defended Britain against the Pelagian heresy and travelled to make peace for Armorica'.
Germanus was even a character in the 2004 movie, King Arthur. He was portrayed by Italian actor Ivano Marescotti.
It seems to me that St Garmon is an excellent saint for us to pray with for the church and Christianity in these isles. Garmon's prayer card can be found here.
Matt Betts
Most of the saints are well known, but one saint that intrigued us at the Shrine office was St Garmon. Here is a saint that I suspect most of our readers have not heard about, so we thought we would take the opportunity in this news blog to tell you.
Who was St Garmon?
Well, St Garmon is also known as St Germanus of Auxerre.
Germanus of Auxerre (c. 378 – c. 448) was a bishop of Auxerre in Gaul. He is a saint in both the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches, commemorated on July 31. He visited Britain in around 429 and the records of this visit provide valuable information on the state of post-Roman British society. In Britain, he helped to fire up Christianity, and made sure that the British church did not break away from the correct teachings.
Saint Germanus's tomb continues to be venerated in the church of the Abbey of Saint-Germain d'Auxerre, which, although now part of municipal museum, remains open for worship at stated times.
The cult of Saint Germanus of Auxerre spread in northern France, hence the church Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois facing the Louvre in Paris.
In the 2004 edition of the Roman Martyrology, Germanus is listed under 31 July. He is described as 'passing at Ravenna, a bishop who defended Britain against the Pelagian heresy and travelled to make peace for Armorica'.
Germanus was even a character in the 2004 movie, King Arthur. He was portrayed by Italian actor Ivano Marescotti.
It seems to me that St Garmon is an excellent saint for us to pray with for the church and Christianity in these isles. Garmon's prayer card can be found here.
Matt Betts
St. Garmon was a native saint of Powys who is mentioned prominently in 'Historia Brittonum'. The name similarity and the historia's motives caused him to be linked with Germanus.
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