ST RUSTICUS, BISHOP OF TRIER - 14 OCTOBER

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN OCTOBER

Saints celebrated on the 14th of 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.

SAINT RUSTICUS [II.], BISHOP OF TRIER 

Saint Rusticus - the second of that name - ascended the episcopal see of Trier [Treves] in the 6th century. 

He resigned for a cause not proven*, [seemingly because ensuing gossip could cause damage to the reputation to Trier's episcopal chair]. The legend of the holy Goar has been contested many times for its correctness, but is recorded by the Proprium of the Trier Church.

About seven years prior to his death he therefore withdrew into the wilderness and lived as a hermit in solitude. He died around the year 574. 

St Rusticus rests in St Paul's Church. His name is  listed in the Roman Martyrology.

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

***

The bishop was not so willing to alter the opinion he had already formed of St Goar, but accused him, in the presence of a great many priests, of several vices, particularly of hypocrisy and intemperance.

The Saint defended his innocence with great sweetness and tranquility, but found no willing ear in the bishop. Meanwhile an illegitimate child was brought in, which had just been found at the place where such children were deposited. The bishop said to the assemblage: "We shall now see if this hermit is a true servant of God, or only a deceiver." He then commanded the accused to reveal the name of the parents of the child, or induce the latter to name them.

The holy man refused as long as possible to comply with this request, and gave reasons which ought to have induced the bishop to let the matter rest; but, as he insisted upon it, the Saint adjured the child in the name of the Holy Trinity, to reveal the names of its parents. The child, which was only three days old, immediately opened its mouth, and said, quite distinctly; "Rusticus is my father, and Flavia, my mother." The bishop was thunderstruck at hearing his own name, and falling at the feet of St Goar, begged him to forgive the rash judgment he had formed of him. The holy man was deeply grieved that this crime was thus made public, and took upon himself to make reparation for it by a penance of seven years.

This remarkable event soon spread abroad." (From Fr Weninger's Lives of the Saints, "St Goar" - July 6)