Saint Germain of Paris – 28 May – Iconography Of Saint Of The Day
Saint Germain of Paris. A French bishop and a statesman. A “father of the poor” and fighter for purity of morals..
Germain of Paris (496-576), a bishop of Paris, is a saint in both the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. According to an early tradition, he was known as “Germain the father of the poor”. He was born to a noble family, was ordained as a priest when he was 35.
While serving as abbot in a monestary, Germain was known for his generous almsgiving that made his monks very unhappy. – They feared that one day he would give away all the abbey’s riches. This provoked monks’ rebellion against Germain. Luckily, around the same time he was consecrated bishop of Paris.
Germain was also a fighter for purity of morals who is known for excommunicating one of French kings in 568 for immorality.
Iconography of Saint Germain of Paris – bishop’s attire, chain and keys
from a Book of Hours
(1450–1460)
