A fascinating story of how France became Catholic!
St. Remigius is one of those saints who is not very well known by Catholics today, but whom God used to completely alter the course of human history. He is perhaps best known for having baptized King Clovis of the Franks. This in turn led to the entire Frankish Nation becoming Catholic. They were the first barbaric tribe to do so. Every other barbaric tribe that had "converted" had accepted the Arian faith; thus, embraced a heresy that sought to destroy the True Faith. On account of Remigius' efforts, France has come to be known as "the eldest daughter of the Church" and has been privileged by God with many special graces and saints. For example, it was Charles Martel, the Frank, who decisively defeated the Moslem invaders at the Battle of Tours (732). His grandson Charlemagne, the first of the great Holy Roman Emperors (800), who did much to help support the Church, the Pope, and establish and uphold the Catholic Church's authority all over Europe. French saints are numerous and in some way they are all indebted to St. Remigius. Even in our own day, France is the nation where the Traditional Catholic movement is the strongest.
St. Remigius - Apostle to the French Nation (439 to 533 AD)
Emilius and Cilinia were both descended from noble families of Gaul who had embraced the Christian Faith. They lived at the castle of Laon and had three sons that we know of: (1) Principius, who became Bishop of Soissons, (2) A second son who fathered St. Lupus, and (3) a third son whose birth was prophesied by a holy hermit named Montanus - St. Remigius. On account of this miraculous prediction, Emilius and Cilinia took great care to raise their son with all the best possible formation.
Even as a youth, Remigius excelled in his studies and was remarkable for his eloquence, piety, and purity of morals. Within his father's castle, Remigius made a type of "monastic cell" in which he was able to withdraw from the world for prayer and penance. (This cell still stood in the 9th century and was an object of many pilgrimages.) When he was 22 the Bishop of Rheims passed away. Despite extreme reluctance, Remigius was compelled to accept this vacant See. He governed, instructed and sanctified the Church in Gaul as Bishop of Rheims for over 70 years and became the most important churchman of his age.
Prayer, meditation on the Holy Scriptures, the instruction of the people, and the conversion of pagans, heretics, and sinners consumed this holy pastor. His ardent charity and love of purity could move the most hardened sinners to tears of repentance. His sermons were famed throughout the land for their wisdom, especially in penetrating divine mysteries, and in their ability to "reach the common man" and convict him of a great zeal for the love of God. He was well known for many miracles and this only added to the credibility of his words and compelled many to convert to the one True Faith. On account of these many virtues and graces, his people came to consider him a second St. Paul and God used him as the apostle of a great nation.
During his life, the Roman Empire was crumbling. Wave after wave of barbaric invasions all along the Empire's border eroded the Empire, and soon various barbaric tribes had even reached and sacked Rome. Before long, the entire Empire in the West crumbled and various barbaric nations took possession of the land. For example, the Visigoths conquered the Iberian Peninsula, the Vandals North Africa, the Ostrogoths Italy, the Alemmani lands north of the Alps, the Celts and Saxons the British isles, and the Franks were victorious in Gaul. These conquests were aided by the fact that the ranks of the Roman Army had been filled with paid barbarians. They had learned Roman warfare and administration. At they ousted their Roman overlords, barbaric officers from the Roman Army took over local administrative posts. These barbarian administrators now received the local dues and taxes and established themselves as local lords, barons, dukes and counts. They were able to greatly reduce taxes for they were only concerned with governing their local areas and not maintaining a world wide empire or standing army (which if not engaged in protecting the borders was embroiled in Roman civil wars). Thus, the new barbarian lords received much local popular support and the system we know as feudalism was first born. Local lords supported each other and the strongest ones rose in an ordered hierarchy until the most powerful lord was referred to as a "king." He was not a king as we consider the term today, because in truth he was much like a local lord over a local tribe. He simply controlled more area and was stronger from a military perspective. Thus he served as a focal point for various lords to unite and have greater strength in numbers. The king was particularly distinguished by the fact that he did not have to pay any tribute to another lord over him, but he often had to go to war with his own lords in order to ensure the proper tribute was being paid.
The most adept of these many lords springing all over the crumbling empire was the great Clovis. At the young age of 15 he was able to lead the Franks in numerous victories and over time began consolidating the loyalty of numerous smaller lords. Thus Gaul was replaced on the European map by "France." He was yet a pagan but showed great respect for the Church, her property, her churchmen, her liturgy and her sacred vessels. In fact, he once slew one of his own soldiers who refused to return a chalice he had stolen from a church. In 493 Clovis married St. Clotilde, who endeavored to bring him to the Christian faith. He held out against all her arguments and feared how his pagan subjects would react if he converted.
In the 15th year of his reign, the Suevi and Alemanni tribes in Germany gathered a huge army under various kings and marched across the Rhine. They wanted the spoils of Roman Gaul for themselves and sought to destroy the Franks. Clovis marched out to meet them and the most terrible and bloody war of the 5th century was fought at Tolbiac. Clovis placed his cousin, Siegbert, at the head of the infantry and he led the cavalry. The battle was so fierce and the enemy so strong that Siegbert was completely overwhelmed and Clovis knew his cavalry would have to win the day. Covered in blood and dust, Clovis fought valiantly and exhorted his men to rally but they where overwhelmed and began to flee. As Clovis saw his army routed he knew this spelled the end of his empire. He recalled the words of his queen as he had taken leave of her: "My lord, you are going to conquest; but in order to be victorious invoke the God of the Christians: He is the sole Lord of the universe and is styled the God of armies. If you address yourself to him with confidence, nothing can resist you. Though your enemies were a hundred against one, you would triumph over them." Clovis lifted his tear-filled eyes to heaven and prayed to God: "O Christ, whom Clotildis invokes as the Son of the living God, I implore Thy succor. I have called upon my gods, and find they have no power, I therefore invoke Thee - I believe in Thee. Deliver me from my enemies, and I will be baptized in Thy Name." Miraculously his scattered cavalry began to rally around his person. The battle was renewed with fresh vigor. The enemy king was slain in battle and the rest of the enemy army begged for quarter. Clovis spared their lives on the condition they pay a yearly tribute and never invade again.
Clovis then thought of nothing else but his promise to God. As he journeyed home he took with him St. Vedast, a holy retired priest, so that he could be instructed in the faith. Back home, Clotilde heard the news and sent for Remigius. When Clovis saw his queen he exclaimed: "Clovis has conquered the Alemanni, and you have conquered over Clovis. The business you have so much at heart is done; my baptism can no longer be delayed." She responded in Mary-like fashion: "To the God of hosts is the glory of both these triumphs due." Remigius then prepared him for baptism using intense fasting, penance and prayer. Clovis expressed his great concern regarding all the pagan lords that followed under him. Remigius in turn assured him that all would be well, guided by God, and Remigius began to instruct all the Frankish lords, inspiring them by his example and convincing them with miracles as necessary. When Clovis publicly anounced to them his plans to become Catholic, they cried out in one voice: "My Lord, we abandon our mortal gods, and we are ready to follow the immortal God whom Remigius teaches."
Many bishops gathered at Rheims as St. Remigius and St. Vedast continued his instruction. Clovis lay aside his royal robes and donned sack cloth and ashes. He spent many nights in vigil praying. The Queen made all the preparations and decorated the city, the streets and cathedral with beautiful adornments that greatly impressed her populace. Then came the procession of catechumens singing the Great Litany. St. Remigius led the king and then reminded all that they must have a change of heart, renounce idols and passion, and put on the spirit of sincere Christian piety and humility. The King was baptized to great rejoicing. He then conferred upon Remigius many lands, who in turn distributed them to other noblemen so they would know he had not sought the king's conversion for personal interests. Many churches were built and given to Remigius, who established new bishoprics and began evangelizing all the Frankish lands.
In 506 Clovis marched against Alaric and conquered the Visigoths centered at Toulouse. Under Remigius' prudent care, he exercised great mercy towards the vanquished and thus led many to the Catholic Faith. Remigius entered those lands and by many miracles won countless conversions. He continued to "tutor" Clovis by means of letters, many of which are still preserved to this day and are a veritable treasure of wisdom for how a truly Catholic king should rule.
Remigius next journeyed into the domain of the Burgundians, who were fierce advocates of Arianism. He held a council with their Bishop Stephen of Lyons and various other bishops. It concluded as all present agreed and exclaimed: "Who but Remigius hath everywhere destroyed the altars of the idols by a multitude of signs and miracles." Together all these bishops held council with Gondebald, the Arian king of the Burgundians, and entreated him to abandon Arianism. He refused. They all prostrated themselves before him and wept bitterly. The king was moved and promised to reconsider and give then an answer soon. These bishops spent the whole night in prayer and then Gondebald called them to a council. His Arian bishops disputed with the Catholics, led by St. Avitus, and were bested, but still Gondebald resisted - he feared the reaction of his populace and never had the courage to accept a public Catholic baptism. However, Remigius was allowed to preach in these lands and he began to make many converts among the Arian Burgundians. King Clovis died in 511 and St. Remigius survivied him by many years. In his old age he converted an Arian bishop who came to dispute with him. Though Remigius died before Burgundy completely abandoned Arianism, the victory for Christ had been assured.
Beginning in Rheims and the heart of the Frankish Empire, the face of Europe was becoming Catholic and Christendom was born. Remigius died at age 94, after an episcopacy of 72 years (the longest on record). He as buried in St. Cristopher's church at Rheims. In 852 his body was found incorrupt and On Oct 1, 1049 Pope Leo IX translated his body to the Benedictine Abbey which bears his name in Rheims. In 1646 the archbishop and many honorable witnesses still found his body incorrupt.