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Portrait of St. Boniface

St. Boniface

An English monk who walked away from a quiet life of books to spend forty years preaching in the German forests — felling a god's oak with an axe, building a church across half a continent, and dying with a book raised over his head.

Feast: June 5 c. 675–754 (79 years) Apostle of Germany Archbishop of Mainz Martyr
Patron Of
Germany Brewers Tailors

Quotes & Sayings of St. Boniface

  • “In her voyage across the ocean of this world, the Church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves of life's different stresses. Our duty is not to abandon ship but to keep her on her course.”

    — Letter to Cuthbert of Canterbury

  • “Let us be neither dogs that do not bark nor silent onlookers nor paid servants who run away before the wolf. Instead let us be careful shepherds watching over Christ's flock.”

    — Letter to Cuthbert of Canterbury

  • “Let us stand fast in what is right and prepare our souls for trial.”

    — Letter to Cuthbert of Canterbury

  • “Cease fighting. Lay down your arms, for we are told in Scripture not to render evil for evil but to overcome evil by good.”

    — Spoken at Dokkum, moments before his death
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