December 1
Saints of the Day...and Events

St. Elogious, Eligius of Noyon; Eloi; Eloy; Loy, 688-660
The French Bishop extremely skillful metal-smith, friend of the poor and Saints and horses, with gifts of clairvoyance and prophecy

    Son of Eucherius and Terrigia. Extremely skillful metal-smith. Apprenticed to the master of the mint at Limoges. Treasurer at Marseilles. Master of the mint under King Clotaire II of Paris; a close friend of and advisor to Clotaire.
    Noted for his piety, hard work and honesty, Eligius was generous to the poor, ransomed slaves (including Saint Tillo of Solignac), built churches, a monastery at Solignac, and major convent in Paris. It was said that you could easily find his house by the number of poor people there that he was caring for.
    Counselor to and diplomat for King Dagobert I. Friend of Saint Ouen of Rouen with whom he formed a small religious society. Persuaded Breton King Judicael to accept the authority of Dagobert.

    Ordained in 640. Bishop of Noyon and Tournai in 641. Built the basilica of Saint Paul. Preacher in Antwerp, Ghent, and Courtai, with many converts, generally brought to the faith by his example of charity and work with the poor and sick. Friend and spiritual teacher of Saint Godeberta.
    Encouraged devotion to the saints and reverence for their relics; he discovered the remains of Saint Quentin, Saint Piat at Seclin, and Saint Lucian at Beauvais, and made many reliquaries himself. Miracle worker with the gifts of clairvoyance and prophecy; he foresaw the date of his own death.

    He has become the traditional patron of all smiths, metal workers, and craftsmen. His patronage of horses and the people who work with them stems first from his patronage of smiths and craftmen, but also from his having left a horse to a priest at his death. The new bishop liked the horse, and took it from the priest. The horse became sick, but recovered immediately when it was returned to the priest that Eligius had chosen. There is also a legend of Eligius removing a horse's leg in order to easy shoe it. In some places horses are blessed on his feast day. Through the years, horse-drawn cabs were replaced by motorized ones, and stables were supplanted by garages and gas stations, but the patronage of the people who do those jobs and work in those places has remained.
Born 588 at Catelat, near Limoges, France
Died 1 December 660 at Noyon, France of high fever; interred in the cathedral of Noyon
More Information: http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/sainte14.htm
Translate español | français | deutsch | italiano | português

Events of December 1 - Saints of December 1:

http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/1201.htm

Art Galleries of Religions and Christianity

The Jerome Bible Commentary, book by book
1,093 prophecies and types of the Old Testament fulfilled in Jesus and His Church

Other Web Sites of Dr. Dominguez
(over 300 in English and Spanish)

Home-Index   E- Mail to: J. Dominguez, M.D.   Last edition: September 11, 2004