From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   October 1st - St. Rémy of Reims, Bishop   
    (Also known as Remigius, Remi)   
      
   Born at Cerny near Laon, France, c. 437; died at Rheims on January 13, 530.   
   The name St. Rémy is intimately connected with that of King Clovis of the   
   Franks, the bloodthirsty general and collector of vases. Rémy was the son of   
   Count Emilius of Laon and Saint Celina, daughter of Principius, bishop of   
   Soissons. Even as a child Rémy was devoted to books and God. These two loves   
   developed the future saint into a famous preacher. Saint Sidonius   
   Apollinaris, who knew him, testified to his virtue and eloquence as a   
   preacher.   
      
   So great was his renown that, in 459, when he was only 22 and still a   
   layman, he was elected bishop of Rheims. Hincmar, testifying that Rémy "was   
   forced into being bishop rather than elected," adds to our impression of a   
   virtuous man the added quality of modesty. Other sources note that the saint   
   was refined, tall (over seven feet(!) in height), with an austere forehead,   
   an aquiline nose, fair hair, a solemn walk, and stately bearing.   
      
   After his ordination and consecration, he reigned for 74 years-all the time   
   devoting himself to the evangelization of the Franks. It was said that "by   
   his signs and miracles, Rémy brought low the heathen altars everywhere."   
   Foregoing the alternative episcopal path, Rémy chose the way of   
   self-sacrifice. He became a model for his clergy and was indefatigable in   
   his good works.   
      
   At some point between 481 and 486, Rémy wrote to the pagan King Clovis: "May   
   the voice of justice be heard from your mouth. . . . Respect your bishops   
   and seek their advice. . . . Be the protector of your subjects, the support   
   of the afflicted, the comfort of widows, the father of orphans and the   
   master of all, that they might learn to love you and fear you. . . . Let   
   your court be open to all and let no one leave with the grief of not being   
   heard. . . . Divert yourself with young people, but if you wish truly to   
   reign transact important matters with those who are older. . . ."   
      
   Clovis must have respected Rémy's advice even if he did not follow it:   
   During his march on Chalons and Troyes, Clovis bypassed Rheims, Rémy's see.   
   It is possible, though, that only his wife's civilizing influence prevented   
   him from burning Rheims.   
      
   Clovis married the radiant and beautiful Christian, Saint Clotildis, by   
   proxy at Chalons-sur-Saone, while she was still living in Lyons under the   
   tutelage of Saint Blandine. It was not a peaceful union. Clovis, an   
   ambitious autocrat, allowed his rage to lead to ill-planned actions. The   
   young, pious Clotildis showed him how much wiser it was to struggle with   
   this wild beast than to give way to his emotions. At first Clovis resisted   
   being tamed by his wife.   
      
   In 496, Clovis, supposedly in response to a suggestion from his wife,   
   invoked the Christian God when the invading Alemanni were on the verge of   
   defeating his forces, whereupon the tide of battle turned and Clovis was   
   victorious at Tolbiac. St. Rémy, aided by Saint Vedast, instructed him and   
   his chieftains in Christianity. At the Easter Vigil (or Christmas Day) in   
   496, Rémy baptized Clovis, his two sisters, and 3,000 of his subjects. (Most   
   seem to agree on the year, but not the day or place.)   
      
   Though he never took part in any of the councils held during his life, Rémy   
   was a zealous proponent of orthodoxy, opposed Arianism, and converted an   
   Arian bishop at a synod of Arian bishops in 517. He was censured by a group   
   of bishops for ordaining one Claudius, whom they felt was unworthy of the   
   priesthood, but St. Rémy was generally held in great veneration for his   
   holiness, learning, and miracles. He is said to have healed a blind man.   
   Another time, like Jesus, he was confronted with a host who ran out of wine   
   at a dinner party. Rémy went down to the cellar, prayed, and at once wine   
   began to spread over the floor!   
      
   Rémy's last act was to draw up a will in which he distributed all his lands   
   and wealth and ordered that "generous alms be given the poor, that liberty   
   be given to the serfs on his domain," and concluded by asking God to bless   
   the family of the first Christian king.   
      
   Because he was the most influential prelate of Gaul and is considered the   
   apostle of the Franks, Rémy has been the subject of many tales. Rémy's   
   notoriety sometimes made it difficult to distinguish the reliable from the   
   untrustworthy in his biographies (Attwater, Benedictines, Delaney,   
   Encyclopedia).   
      
   In art, St. Remigius is generally portrayed as a bishop carrying holy oils,   
   though he may have other representations. At times he may be shown (1) as a   
   dove brings him the chrism to anoint Clovis; (2) with Clovis kneeling before   
   him; (3) preaching before Clovis and his queen; (4) welcoming another saint   
   led by an angel from prison; (5) exorcising; or (6) contemplating the veil   
   of Saint Veronica (Roeder).   
      
   October 1st - St. Rémy of Reims, Bishop   
    (Also known as Remigius, Remi)   
      
   Born at Cerny near Laon, France, c. 437; died at Rheims on January 13, 530.   
   The name St. Rémy is intimately connected with that of King Clovis of the   
   Franks, the bloodthirsty general and collector of vases. Rémy was the son of   
   Count Emilius of Laon and Saint Celina, daughter of Principius, bishop of   
   Soissons. Even as a child Rémy was devoted to books and God. These two loves   
   developed the future saint into a famous preacher. Saint Sidonius   
   Apollinaris, who knew him, testified to his virtue and eloquence as a   
   preacher.   
      
   So great was his renown that, in 459, when he was only 22 and still a   
   layman, he was elected bishop of Rheims. Hincmar, testifying that Rémy "was   
   forced into being bishop rather than elected," adds to our impression of a   
   virtuous man the added quality of modesty. Other sources note that the saint   
   was refined, tall (over seven feet(!) in height), with an austere forehead,   
   an aquiline nose, fair hair, a solemn walk, and stately bearing.   
      
   After his ordination and consecration, he reigned for 74 years-all the time   
   devoting himself to the evangelization of the Franks. It was said that "by   
   his signs and miracles, Rémy brought low the heathen altars everywhere."   
   Foregoing the alternative episcopal path, Rémy chose the way of   
   self-sacrifice. He became a model for his clergy and was indefatigable in   
   his good works.   
      
   At some point between 481 and 486, Rémy wrote to the pagan King Clovis: "May   
   the voice of justice be heard from your mouth. . . . Respect your bishops   
   and seek their advice. . . . Be the protector of your subjects, the support   
   of the afflicted, the comfort of widows, the father of orphans and the   
   master of all, that they might learn to love you and fear you. . . . Let   
      
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