Saint of the Day – 29 August – Saint Adelphus (5th Century) Bishop and Confessor of Metz, France. Patronages – of the Cities and Diocese of Metz and Strasbourg in France. Also known as – Adelfo, Adelfus, Adelphe, Adelphus.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Metz, St Adephus, Bishop and Confessor.”
According to a Vita, of the 9th Century Adelphus was born to a noble Burgundian family. Some time before his birth, an Angel appeared to his mother, Beatrice, in a dream and informed her that her child would become a great Bishop.
He indeed became the 10th Bishop of Metz which office he served faithfully for 17 years as a most zealous shepherd and preacher, bring many pagans to Christ and His Church.
In 836, during the Episcopate of Drogo, Adelphus’ remains were translated to the Abbey of Neuvillers (Alsace) and became a destination for numerous pilgrimages.
In the 11th Century, they were placed in a Church dedicated to him but during the Revolution, they were returned to the Abbey Church for protection. Adelphus’s Feast Day falls on 29 August but in Neuvillers, it is celebrated on 1 September due to the celebration of the Feast of the Beheading of St John the Baptist on the same day.
St Adelphus was Canonised on 3 December 1049 by Pope Leo IX. SBelow is a scene from the life of Adelphus as depicted in the Adelphus Tapestries from the 1470s and is in the Abbey of at his Shrine in Neuvillers.
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