St Remigius of Rheims

Remigius of Rheims stands at one of the great turning points in Western Christian history. Chosen bishop while still very young, he spent long years preaching, governing, and strengthening the Church in Frankish Gaul. His name is inseparable from the conversion and baptism of Clovis, because he helped direct not only one man but the future of a kingdom. Later tradition surrounded that event with beautiful and sometimes ornate details, and not all of them stand on equally firm footing.

Yet the core is strong enough without embellishment: a bishop of learning, eloquence, and long patience who helped guide a rough warrior people toward the Catholic faith. The importance of the life lies in duration as much as in drama. Remigius did not simply appear for one ceremonial triumph. He spent a long episcopate helping to give Christian form to a new political world.