Saint Eligius facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaintEligius |
|
|---|---|
The Legend of Saint Eligius and Saint Godeberta by Petrus Christus
|
|
| Confessor, Bishop | |
| Born | 11 June 588 Chaptelat, Francia |
| Died | 1 December 660 Noyon, Neustria, Francia |
| Venerated in | |
| Canonized | Pre-Congregation |
| Feast | 1 December |
| Attributes | Anvil; Bishop with a crosier in his right hand, on the open palm of his left a miniature church of chased gold; bishop with a hammer, anvil, and horseshoe; bishop with a horse; courtier; goldsmith; hammer; holding a horse's leg, which he detached from the horse in order to shoe it more easily; horseshoe; man grasping a devil's nose with pincers; man holding a chalice and goldsmith's hammer; man shoeing a horse; man with hammer and crown near a smithy; man with hammer, anvil, and Anthony the Great; pincers; with Godeberta; giving a ring to Godeberta; working as a goldsmith |
| Patronage | Cartwrights; clockmakers; coin collectors; craftsmen of all kinds; cutlers; exercise riders and grooms; gilders; goldsmiths; harness makers; horses; jewelers; jockeys; knife makers; laborers; locksmiths; metalworkers in general; miners; minters; Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers; Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers; saddlers; toolmakers; veterinarians; watchmakers |
Eligius (born June 11, 588 – died December 1, 660) is known as Saint Eligius. He was a skilled goldsmith and a trusted advisor to kings in the Frankish kingdom. Later, he became a bishop in the cities of Noyon and Tournai.
Eligius was born into a family from the Gallo-Roman culture. He became a successful goldsmith at the royal court of King Clotaire II. He then served as the main advisor to King Dagobert I until the king died in 639. After Dagobert's death, Eligius became a priest. He worked to stop the buying and selling of church positions.
In 642, Eligius was chosen to be the Bishop of Noyon–Tournai. He started many monasteries and churches. He also worked hard to teach Christianity to people in Flanders who followed older religions. Even though he was a goldsmith, Eligius became more focused on a simple, strict life. He used his power to help people who were captured and sold. He also cared for the poor. A famous story says he once healed a horse by taking off its leg and then putting it back on.
Saint Eligius is most famous as the patron saint of horses and people who work with them. He is also the patron saint of goldsmiths, metalworkers, coin collectors, and animal doctors.
Contents
Biography of Saint Eligius
Early Life and Goldsmith Work
Eligius was born in 588 in a place called Chaptelat, which is now part of France. His father saw that Eligius had a special talent. So, he sent him to learn from a goldsmith named Abbo. Abbo was in charge of making coins in Limoges. Later, Eligius moved to the palace of the Franks in Neustria. There, he worked for the royal treasurer, Babo.
King Clotaire II heard about Eligius's skills. The king asked Eligius to make a special throne of gold. This throne was to be decorated with beautiful jewels. Eligius was so honest and skilled that he could make two thrones from the amount of gold given for just one. He did this without cheating or adding cheaper metals. He used all the gold faithfully and filled the thrones with gems.
Eligius also made beautiful gold decorations for the tomb of Germain of Paris, who was a bishop. King Clotaire was very impressed. He brought Eligius into his royal household. He also made Eligius the master of the mint in Marseilles. This meant Eligius was in charge of making coins there.
Chief Advisor to King Dagobert I
After King Clotaire died in 629, his son Dagobert I became king. Dagobert chose Eligius to be his main advisor. Eligius's good reputation spread quickly. People from other lands would visit him for advice before even meeting the king.
King Dagobert liked Eligius very much. He often left meetings with other important people to talk privately with Eligius. Eligius used this special favor from the king to help others. He collected money for the poor. He also bought the freedom of people who had been captured and sold as slaves. These included Romans, Gauls, Bretons, Moors, and especially Saxons.
Eligius also started several monasteries. With the king's permission, he sent his helpers to towns and villages. They would take down the bodies of people who had been executed. Then, they would give them a proper burial.
Eligius was a good example at the royal court. He and his friend Audoin of Rouen lived by strict rules. These rules came from Irish monasteries. Eligius brought these rules to the monastery of Solignac, which he founded in 632. He also started a convent in Paris for three hundred women. He built a church called St. Paul's Basilica. He also fixed up another church in Paris dedicated to Saint Martial. Eligius also built several beautiful tombs for the remains of Martin of Tours and Saint Denis of Paris.
Service Under Queen Nanthild
King Dagobert died in 639. His wife, Queen Nanthild, took control of the government. This was because their son, Clovis II, was still a child. During this time, in 640, Eligius became a priest. He then started a successful effort against a practice called simony. Simony was when people bought and sold church jobs. Eligius's work led to a royal order. This order banned the sale of church positions. It said that such jobs should only be given to people with good character.
Bishop of Noyon–Tournai
In 642, the bishop of Noyon–Tournai died. Eligius was chosen to take his place. Everyone, including the church leaders and the people, agreed. So, the goldsmith who didn't want the job became the guardian of several towns. These included Tournai, Noyon, Ghent, and Kortrijk in Flanders.
Most of the people in his new area were not Christians. Eligius worked to convert them to Christianity. He traveled often to teach people. He also founded many monasteries and churches. In his own city of Noyon, he built a nunnery for women. He also found the body of Saint Quentin. Eligius built a church in his honor. He also found the bodies of Piatus of Tournai and his friends. In 654, he moved the remains of Fursey, a famous Irish missionary.
The Legend of the Horse's Leg
There is a famous story about Eligius. It says he helped a horse that refused to be shod (have horseshoes put on). Eligius thought the horse was possessed by evil spirits. So, he cut off the horse's front leg. While the horse stood on three legs, Eligius put a horseshoe on the leg he had cut off. Then, he miraculously put the leg back onto the horse.
Death and Legacy
Eligius died on December 1, 660. He was buried in Noyon.
His friend, Audoin of Rouen, wrote about Eligius's life. Audoin remembered how Eligius changed over time. At first, Eligius wore fancy clothes with gold and jewels. But as he became more spiritual, he gave his ornaments to the poor. He started wearing simple clothes with a rope for a belt. Audoin also said that Eligius often cried, showing his deep feelings.
Some of Eligius's writings still exist. One is a sermon where he speaks against the old pagan customs of his time. Another is a homily (a religious talk) about the Last Judgment. He also wrote a letter in 645 asking for prayers from Bishop Didier of Cahors.
Veneration of Saint Eligius
Saint Eligius's feast day is celebrated on December 1. He is especially honored in Flanders, a region in Belgium. People in cities like Antwerp, Tournai, Kortrijk, Ghent, Bruges, and Douai celebrate him. During the Middle Ages, his remains were highly respected. They were moved to different places many times, in 881, 1066, 1137, 1255, and 1306. Many legends have grown around Eligius's life. He is still very popular with goldsmiths, farriers (people who shoe horses), and car mechanics.
Patronage
Eligius is the patron saint of horses and cattle. He is also the patron saint of goldsmiths, blacksmiths, and metalworkers. Coin collectors and animal doctors also look to him as their patron saint. The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), a group in the British Army, also consider him their patron saint.
A special church service is held around December 9 at Notre Dame de Paris. This is for members of the Confraternity of Saint Éloi. This group follows an old tradition. Between 1630 and 1707, the goldsmiths of Paris would give a religious painting to the Cathedral in May. This tradition of a Guild Chapel was brought back in 1953. The Paris goldsmiths provided the altar, the cross above it, and a statue of Eligius.
Iconography
Eligius is almost always shown wearing a bishop's clothes. His symbol is a goldsmith's hammer. The only times he is shown differently are in pictures that show his life before he became a bishop. Usually, he is shown as a bishop holding a staff (crosier) in his right hand. In his left hand, he holds a small, golden church.
A painting from 1449 by Petrus Christus was once thought to show Eligius. But after a cleaning in 1993, it is now known to be a portrait of a goldsmith at work. It is not a picture of Saint Eligius.
The story of Eligius shoeing the horse is shown in several artworks. There is a carving in a church in Wincanton, England. It is also in a tapestry in the Hospices de Beaune in France. A painting from the 14th century by Niccolo di Pietro Gerini in Avignon, France, also shows this legend.
Images for kids
-
Signature of St. Eligius
See also
In Spanish: Eligio para niños
