St Hugh of Lincoln – Feast Day – November 17 2023

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St Hugh of Lincoln was also referred to as Hugh of Avalon, or of Burgundy.

He was a Carthusian monk, and bishop of Lincoln, England.

He was born in 1140 in Avalon, France and died on November 16 1200 in London, England.

We celebrate his feast day on November 17 every year in the Catholic Church.

St Hugh of Lincoln Biography
 
Date of Birth 1140 AD
Place of Birth Avalon, France
Profession Bishop of Lincoln, England
Date of Death November 16 1200
Place of Death London, England
Feast Day November 17
Canonization Pre-congregation
Patron Saint of
  • Sick children
  • Sick people
  • Shoemakers, Swans
  • Roman Catholic Diocese of Nottingham

St Hugh of Lincoln Life History

St. Hugh of Lincoln was born in 1135 at Avalon Castle in Burgundy, France, to a noble family. He was the son of William, Lord of Avalon.

His mother, Anna, died when he was just eight years old. Subsequently, he was raised and educated at a convent in Villard-Benoit, France.

His early religious journey began at the age of 15 when he became a monk, and by 19, he was ordained a deacon.

He later served as the prior of a monastery at Saint-Maxim. In 1160, he joined the Carthusian order and received ordination as a priest in 1165.

In 1175, he assumed the role of abbot at the first English Carthusian monastery, which had been constructed by King Henry II as part of his penance for the murder of Thomas Becket.

St. Hugh’s reputation for holiness quickly spread throughout England, drawing many to the monastery. He courageously admonished King Henry for keeping dioceses vacant to retain their income for the throne.

Although he resisted the appointment, he was ultimately made the bishop of Lincoln on September 21, 1181.

In his role as bishop, he worked diligently to restore clerical discipline within his diocese and oversaw the rebuilding of Lincoln Cathedral, which had been devastated by an earthquake in 1185.

Furthermore, St. Hugh spoke out against the mass persecution of Jews in England during 1190-91. He repeatedly confronted armed mobs, compelling them to release their victims and protecting the Jewish community.

In 1199, St. Hugh served as a diplomat to France for King John. This taxing journey took a toll on his health.

While attending a national council in London a few months later, he fell ill with an unspecified ailment and died two months after that.

St. Hugh of Lincoln died on November 16, 1200, in London, England, from natural causes. He was interred in the Lincoln Cathedral.

He was canonized on February 18, 1220, by Pope Honorius III and holds the distinction of being the first canonized Carthusian.

St. Hugh is the patron of sick children, sick people, Swans and Roman Catholic Diocese of Nottingham.

He is often depicted in art in these forms

  • With an angel shielding him from lightning
  • As a bearded bishop giving a blessing
  • As a Carthusian surrounded by seven stars
  • As a Carthusian with a swan
  • Holding a chalice
  • As a bishop accompanied by a swan (as there is a story of him befriending a swan that would protect him while he slept)
  • Assisting in the construction of the Lincoln Cathedral
  • Raising a deceased child to life.

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About Laban Thua Gachie 10721 Articles
The founder of Catholicreadings.org is Laban Thua Gachie. I am a Commissioned Lector, a commissioned Liturgy Minister, and a Commissioned member of the Catholic Men Association. We at Catholic Daily Readings, operate the catholicreadings.org, a Catholic Church-related website and we pride ourself in providing you, on a daily basis the following; 1. Catholic Daily Mass Readings 2. Reflections on those Daily Readings 3. Daily prayers 4. Bible Verse of the Day 5. Saint of the Day