ST SEVERIN, BISHOP OF COLOGNE

ST SEVERIN, BISHOP OF COLOGNE - 23 OCTOBER

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 SEVERIN, BISHOP OF COLOGNE

This holy bishop of Cologne became the successor of the Euphrates around the middle of the 4th century. St Severin strove to bring back this part of the vineyard of Jesus Christ to the Catholic faith and evangelical life, since certain remains of Arianism had not been eradicated by his predecessor. Travelling tirelessly from one place to another, he showed his faithful the gates of heaven by word and example.

He also had a vision of the soul of St Martin of Tours as it was escorted to heaven by angels, which he immediately announced to his archdeacon Evergislus with the words: "My lord, the Bishop Martin has departed from this world. Presently, the choirs of angels are welcoming him with lovely hymns and are leading him to heaven" (Sulp. Sev. ep. ad. Basulam).

The year of St Severin's death is unknown. He had a church and a monastery built in honour of St Cornelius and Cyprian c. 376. (They were re-named after him at a later date.) He must have lived to a ripe old age, because around the year 400 he was still alive.

His successor was St Evergislus. According to legend, he was born and died in Bordeaux. His body rests in an elaborate reliquary in the above-mentioned church at Cologne. In art we see Severin's consecration as a bishop, his activity as a preacher of the true faith, his miracles, his journey to Bordeaux prompted by heavenly tidings, his encounter with St Amandus, the raising of a dead man and his holy death.

St Severin is also celebrated on May 12 - his ordination day. June 5 and October 5 are reminding of the raising/translation of his relics. On October 23, the anniversary of his death, he is also found in the Roman Martyrology. He is, according to Canisius (Martyrol. p. 316) "a special patron of the Church of Cologne. He shines with many miracles to this day."

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, 1858)

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