ST LETHARD, BISHOP OF SENLIS, CONFESSOR - 24 FEBRUARY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN FEBRUARY

 Saints celebrated on the 24th of February

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SAINT LETHARD, BISHOP OF SENLIS, CONFESSOR

(Called by Venerable Bede, Luidhard.) 

Bede, William of Malmesbury, and other historians relate, that when Bertha, daughter of Charibert, king of the French, was married to Ethelbert, king of Kent, about the year 566, this holy French prelate accompanied her into England, and resided at Canterbury in quality of almoner and chaplain to the queen. 

HIS NAME IN THE RECORDS

Though his name does not occur in the imperfect catalogue of the bishops of Senlis, which is found in the ancient copy of St Gregory’s sacramentary, which belonged to that church in 880, nor in the old edition of Gallia Christiana, yet, upon the authority of the English historians, it is inserted in the new edition, the thirteenth, from St Regulus, the founder of that see, one of the Roman missionaries in Gaul about the time of St Dionysius. 

The relics of St Regulus are venerated in the ancient collegiate church which bears his name in Senlis, and his principal festival is kept on April 23. St Lethard having resigned this see to St Sanctinus, was only recorded in England. 

HIS RELICS

On the high altar of St Augustine’s monastery at Canterbury, originally called SS. Peter and Paul’s, his relics were exposed in a shrine near those of the holy king Ethelbert, as appears from the Monasticon. 

HIS INTERCESSION

St Lethard died at Canterbury about the year 596. Several miracles are recorded to have been obtained by his intercession, particularly a ready supply of rain in time of drought. 

From Fr Butler's Lives of the Saints - 📷 The St Lethard gold coin pendant - ringed. Pictured are replicas of the Canterbury-St Martin hoard in the British Museum. The original pendants date from c.590, found near St Martin's church, Canterbury, perhaps grave finds. One names 'Luidhard, chaplain of Queen Bertha of Kent.' Originals in Liverpool Museum, National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canterbury-St_Martin%27s_hoard

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Lethard may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.