Friend of Peace
Boniface was born to a noble family in Wessex, England, around AD 675, and named Wynfrid, or “friend of peace”. Christianity was thriving at that time in Wessex, and Boniface received an excellent education in the Benedictine abbeys of Exeter. At age thirty, he was ordained a priest and became a missionary to the Frisian Saxons. In the early 700s, the Frisians governed much of the coastline in modern-day Netherlands and France. Radbod, the king of the Frisians, wanted nothing to do with Christianity.
Mission to the Frisian Saxons
From 716-722, Boniface made two attempts to evangelise the Friesan Saxons but was largely unsuccessful. Realising that he could not do this on his own, Boniface traveled to Rome to secure the church’s support. While in Rome, his name was changed from Wynfrid to Boniface, and he was commissioned as a missionary to the Frisian lands. Radbod, in an effort to placate the nearby Franks, allowed Boniface to minister undisturbed; and, for the next ten years, (725-735), Boniface took advantage of the opportunity.
A Severe but Zealous Reformer
Boniface was active in Thuringia, converting pagans and renewing the faith of Christians who had been converted earlier by Irish missionaries. Boniface’s handling of missionaries whose methods he deplored sheds light on his personality and temperament – he turned immediately to Rome; he expected prompt and ruthless action, and he seems at times to have been excessively severe in his judgments.
To Be Continued…
Date: 1st June 2024
Martyr: Boniface
Location: Not specified
Source: God’s Generals – The martyrs
Author: Richard Liardon
Suffering Saturday 093
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