Episode 938: St Genevieve

St. Genevieve (422-512), who became the patron saint of Paris, was famous throughout the world even in her own lifetime. In the East as well as West, her name and virtues were known and praised. From the top of his column in Asia Minor, St. Simeon Stylites greeted his sister in Christ and praised her perfection in the Christian virtues. The capital of France was entrusted to her. She was a simple shepherdess, but she protected the destiny of Paris, just as it was a poor and simple farmer, St. Isidore, who watched over the capital of the Spanish people.

How Our Lord chose her as His spouse while she was still a young girl in Nanterre is recounted by St. Germain of Auxerre, one of the greatest Bishops of Gaul in the 5th century. Pope St. Boniface had sent St. Germain to Great Britain to combat the Pelagian heresy around the year 430. He was accompanied by St. Lupus, Bishop of Troyes. On their way through France, they stopped at the village of Nanterre.

St. Genevieve, began her apostolate with the women outside the gates of Paris. Upon their arrival, the two Prelates went to the Church to pray for the success of their trip. The people surrounded them with pious curiosity and to ask their blessing. Illuminated by a divine inspiration, Germain espied in the crowd a young girl of seven years of age, and he was interiorly advised that Our Lord had chosen her for a singular mission. He asked the name of the child and that she be brought before him. The people told him that her name was Genevieve. Her father and her mother brought her forward.