BONIFACE, SAINT (680-755). The Apostle of Germany, whose original name was Winfrid. He was horn at Creditor. in Devonshire. England. 680. He first entered a monastery in Exeter at. the age of 13, and afterwards removed to that of Nutshalling, where lie learned rhetoric, history. and theology, and became a priest at the age of 30. At that time a movement, proceeding from England and Ireland, was going on for the con version of the still heathen peoples of Europe: in 614 Gallus and Emmeran had been sent to Alemannia, Kilian (murdered 689) to Bavaria, Willibrord (died 738) to the country of the Franks, SwitIvert to Friesland. and Siegfried to Sweden. Winfrid also took the resolution (715) of preaching Christianity to the Frisians. among whom it had as yet found no entrance. But a war broke out between Charles \lartel and the King of the Frisians, and Winfrid returned from Utrecht to his convent, of which he was elected abbot. He declined the election, repaired to Rome in 718, and received the authorization of Pope Gregory II. to preach the Gospel to all the tribes of Germany in 719. He first went to and Thuringia, then labored three years in Friesland, and traveled through Hesse, every where baptizing multitudes, and consecrating their idolatrous groves as churches. In 721 Gregory called him to Rome; made him bishop (722), with the name of Bonifaeius; fur nished him with new instructions or canons, and with letters to Charles Alartel and all princes and bishops, requesting their aid in his pious work. Returning to Hesse and Thuringia (723), he destroyed the objects of heathen worship (among which are mentioned an oak at Geismar, near Cassel. sacred to Thor, and an idol named Stuffo, on a summit of the Harz still called Stuffenberg), founded churches and convents. and called to his aid priests. monks, and nuns from England, whom he distributed through the various countries. In recognition of his emi nent services, Gregory III. sent him (732) the
and named him Archbishop and Primate of all Germany, with power to establish bishop rics wherever lie saw fit. Boniface now made a third journey to Rome (738), and was appoint ed Papal Legate for Germany. The bishoprics of Ratishon. Erfurt. Paderborn. Wfirzhurg, Eich stiidt, Salzburg, and several others owe their es tablishment to Saint Boniface. The famous Abbey of Fulda is also one of his foundations (742-44). He was named Archbishop of Mainz by Pepin (744), whom lie consecrated as King of the Franks at Soissons (752), and he presided in the council held at that place. In 754 lie re signed his archbishopric at :Mainz, and resumed anew his apostolic labors among the Frisians; and at Dokkum, near Lieuwarden, in West Fries land, this venerable Christian hero was set upon by a mob of armed heathens and killed, along with the congregation of converts that were with him (June 5, 755). His remains were taken first to Utrecht, then to \lainz, and finally to Fulda. In the abbey there is still shown a copy of the Gospels written by him, and a leaf stained with blood. A collection of his letters, and the canons be promulgated for the discipline of the newly established churches, have been preserved, and are instructive as to the state of Germany at the time. The best edition of his Letters (Epistolic) is that of Diimmler (1892). In 1811 a monument was erected to Saint Boni face on a hill near Altenberga, in the Principality of Gotha, where. according to tradition. lie erected (721) the first Christian church in North Germany. A statue by Ilensehel of Cassel was also erected to him in Fulda in 1842. His works are in Aligne (Pat. bat_ LXXXIX.) ; also ed. Giles (London, 1844, 2 vols.); for his Life, con stilt: G. W. Cox (London, IS53) ; A. Werner (Leipzig, 1875) ; Life of Saint 11'in/rid—the tra ditional life (London, 1878) : 0. Fischer (ISSO) ; A. Ebrard (Giitersloh, 1882).