584 Births - Saint Amand (Paperback)

Chapters: Saint Amand. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 20. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Saint Amand or Amandus (Amantius) (c. 584 675), was a French Christian saint, one of the great Christian apostles of Flanders. The Vita Sancti Amandi is an eighth-century text, attributed to a Beaudemond; it was expanded by Philippe, abbot of Aumne. According to it, Amand was born in Lower Poitou, of noble birth. He became a monk at the Island of Yeu (le d'Yeu), near Tours, at about the age twenty, against the wishes and efforts of his family. From there he went to Bourges, where under the direction of the bishop, Saint Austregisilus, he lived in solitude on bread and water in a cell for fifteen years. After a pilgrimage to Rome, he was consecrated in France as a missionary bishop without a settle diocese in 628. At the request of Clotaire II, he began first to evangelize the pagan inhabitants of Ghent, later extending his field of operations across Flanders. Initially he had little success, suffering persecution and undergoing great hardships; however, the miracle of bringing back to life a hanged criminal changed the feelings of the people, after which he had many converts. Under his supervision monasteries were established at Ghent and Mont Blandin, the first in Belgium. The monastery at Ghent was funded, and then joined, by the future Saint Bavo, who was inspired by Amand's preaching. Returning to France, in 630, he angered Dagobert I by his efforts to turn the king from his sinful life, and he was expelled from the kingdom despite the intervention of Saint Acarius. Dagobert however later asked his pardon and requested him to be the tutor to the heir to the throne; Amand, however, declined the honour. He requested from Acharius, then bishop of Noyon, to obtain letters from King Dagobe...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=606692