One of the Orthodox Saints we commemorate today is St Genevieve. St Genevieve was born into a wealthy family in the village of Nanterre, near Paris, around the year 422. According to the custom of the time she often tended her father’s flocks on Mt Valerien. When she was about seven years old St Germanus of Auxerre noticed her as he was passing through Nanterre; he kissed her on her head and told her parents that she would become great in the sight of God and would lead many to salvation. After Genevieve told him that she wished to dedicate herself to Christ he gave her a brass medal with the image of the Cross on it. She promised to wear it around her neck and not to wear any other ornaments around her neck or on her fingers. When she was 15 St Genevieve was taken to Paris to enter the monastic life. Through fasting, vigil and prayer she received the gifts of clairvoyance and miracle working from God . Gradually the people of Paris and the surrounding area regarded Genevieve as a holy vessel. St Genevieve considered the Saturday night Vigil service to be very important as it symbolises how our whole life should be - she would often say “We must keep vigil in prayer and fasting so that the Lord will find us ready when He comes. She was on her way to Church with her nuns one stormy Saturday night when the wind blew out her lantern and so she made the Sign of the Cross over the lantern and the candle was lit with a bright flame. They were then able to make their way to the Church for the service. The Church which she had suggested be built to honour Saints Peter and Paul became her own resting place when she reposed in the year 512 at the age of 89. Her holy relics were later transferred to the church of St Etienne du Mont in Paris but unfortunately most of her relics, and those of other saints, were destroyed during the French Revolution.
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 06:17:51 +0000
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