ST EMEBERT, BISHOP - 15 JANUARY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JANUARY

Saints celebrated on the 15th of January

Prayer to the Angels and the Saints

Heavenly Father, in praising Your Angels and Saints we praise Your glory, for by honouring them we honour You, their Creator. Their splendour shows us Your greatness, which infinitely surpasses that of all creation.

In Your loving providence, You saw fit to send Your Angels to watch over us. Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven.

Heavenly Father, You are glorified in Your Saints, for their glory is the crowning of Your gifts. You provide an example for us by their lives on earth, You give us their friendship by our communion with them, You grant us strength and protection through their prayer for the Church, and You spur us on to victory over evil and the prize of eternal glory by this great company of witnesses.

Grant that we who aspire to take part in their joy may be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that, after sharing their faith on earth, we may also experience their peace in heaven. Amen.

ST EMEBERT, BISHOP OF ARRAS AND CAMBRAI 

Saint Emebertus (Ablebertus) Bishop of Arras and Cambrai, successor of Berthoaldus, was the son of Count Witger and St Amalburga, and was born at Ham in Brabant on one of his father's villas. 

PRAYING, WATCHING, FASTING, AND WEEPING

He had four sisters, three of whom died in holiness. From childhood he gave proofs of his future holiness, fleeing all human company and spending most of his time praying, watching, fasting, and weeping. 

As a result, he was raised to the episcopal chair of Arras and Cambrai, and shone before his flock with holiness. 

THE GRAVE ROBBER'S FATE

He had also a very strong sense of justice. On one occasion, he put a robber, who had robbed his sister's grave but was hitherto unknown, under a spell wishing him bad luck. As a result, bad luck did happen to the thief and subsequently brought him to light and to justice. 

HIS HOLY DEATH

St Emebert died on a visitation in his birthplace at the beginning of the eighth century and was buried there. Later his relics came to Martinas and then to Maubeuge (Melbod) where they were interred in the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Aldegond. 

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints)