Saint Sturmi of Fulda (17 December): Butler's Lives of the Saints

About this sermon

St. Sturmi of Fulda, celebrated on December 17, was one of the great missionaries of early medieval Germany and a close disciple of St. Boniface. Born in Bavaria to Christian parents, St. Sturmi was entrusted to St. Boniface and educated under St. Wigbert at the Abbey of Fritzlar, where he later received priestly ordination. After evangelizing Westphalia, St. Sturmi attempted the hermitical life, but divine Providence led him to a greater work. In 744, under the guidance of St. Boniface, he founded the Monastery of Fulda, which would become the spiritual heart of Germany, a model Benedictine monastery, and a center for missionary activity among the Saxons. St. Sturmi later traveled to Monte Cassino to study the Rule of St. Benedict, strengthening Fulda’s monastic foundations. Pope St. Zachary granted the abbey full autonomy, placing it directly under Rome rather than local episcopal authority—an exceptional privilege. After the martyrdom of St. Boniface, St. Sturmi endured persecution, exile, and political conflict, particularly under Bishop Lullus of Mainz. Despite banishment by King Pepin, St. Sturmi was triumphantly restored by the loyalty of his monks. His missionary work among the Saxons was deeply hindered by the violent campaigns of Pepin and Charlemagne, which caused pagan resistance to Christianity. Known by the Roman Martyrology as the “Apostle of the Saxons,” St. Sturmi remained faithful amid civil interference, warfare, and suffering. St. Sturmi died at Fulda on December 17, 779, after Charlemagne himself sent physicians to aid him. He is recognized as the first German Benedictine and remains a towering figure in the history of Western monasticism. This episode is drawn from Butler’s Lives of the Saints, faithfully recounting the life, trials, and holiness of St. Sturmi of Fulda. 00:00 Introduction – Lives of the Saints 00:20 Birth and early formation of St. Sturmi 00:32 Education under St. Wigbert at Fritzlar 00:39 Missionary work in Westphalia 00:41 Attempt at the hermit life 00:55 St. Boniface’s vision for Fulda 01:06 Founding of Fulda Abbey (744) 01:15 Fulda as a model monastery for Germany 01:36 Journey to Monte Cassino 01:44 Papal exemption by Pope St. Zachary 01:53 Growth and prosperity of Fulda 01:58 Conflict after St. Boniface’s martyrdom 02:16 Exile under King Pepin 02:44 Return to Fulda 02:49 Struggles evangelizing the Saxons 03:01 Christianity and civil violence 03:19 Saxon revolt and threat to Fulda 03:29 Charlemagne’s return 03:39 Death of St. Sturmi (Dec 17, 779) 03:48 Legacy – Apostle of the Saxons https://sensusfidelium.com/the-lives-of-the-fathers-martyrs-and-other-principal-saints/december/ Get Butler's Lives of the Saints here: https://loretopublications.idevaffiliate.com/idevaffiliate.php?id=102&url=1 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 Support Catholic Businesses here - https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ Sensus Fidelium Press - https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ Sensus Fidelium Apps - https://sensusfidelium.tv/ Support Sensus Fidelium - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 🙏🏻PLEASE HELP OUR CHANNEL GROW 🙏🏻 ▶ 1. Become a Channel Patron: https://www.patreon.com/SensusFidelium ▶ 2. Visit the website https://www.sensusfidelium.com for Gueranger, Saint of the Day, Apologetics, Meditation by the Saints, Scripture Study and more. ▶ 3. Subscribe to Other Video Platforms 🔴 BitChute --- https://www.bitchute.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium/ 🔴 Rumble --- https://rumble.com/c/c-298311 🔴 My Catholic Tube - https://mycatholictube.com/videos/sensus-fidelium-channel/ 🔴 ODYSEE - https://odysee.com/@SensusFidelium:c 🔴 UGETube - https://videos.utahgunexchange.com/@Sensus%20Fidelium 🔴 GabTV - https://tv.gab.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 GloriaTV - https://gloria.tv/Sensus%20Fidelium ▶ 4. Paypal, Bitcoin, Anedot, Stripe, Square & PO Box donations - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ ▶ 5. YouTube: Click Subscribe, then Click "Notification Bell" = 🔔 ▶ 6. Please share this video 📲, and help others find Christ inside the Catholic Church! Please share this video on Facebook and Twitter using the share button. ▶ 7. Follow on Social Media: 🔴 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SensusFidelium/ 🔴 Twitter: https://https://twitter.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 Parler: https://parler.com/profile/Sensusfidelium/posts 🔴 SP3RN: https://www.sp3rn.com/community/pages/14-sensus-fidelium 🔴 GAB: https://gab.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 Bastyon: https://bastyon.com/sensusfidelium 🔴 GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/sensus_fidelium 🔴 INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sensusfidelium/ 🔴 Telegram: https//t.me/RealSensusFidelium 🔴 Truth Social - @SensusFidelium ▶ 8. Follow on iTunes: 🔴 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sensus-fidelium-catholic-podcast/id1477010758 #StSturmi #SturmiOfFulda #LivesOfTheSaints #CatholicSaints #December17Saint #Benedictine #StBoniface #FuldaAbbey #CatholicHisto