Saint Boniface

June 5 – St. Boniface, Archbishop of Mainz, Missionary to Germany, Martyr

St. Boniface, a monk of Exeter in England, is one of the great figures of the Benedictine Order and of the monastic apostolate in the Middle Ages. Gregory II sent him to preach the Gospel in Germany. He evangelized Hesse, Saxony and Thuringia and became Archbishop of Mainz. He well earned the title of Apostle of Germany. He was put to death by the Frisians at Dokkum in 754 during the last of his missionary journeys. His body lies at the famous abbey of Fulda.