St. Radegundes, Queen of France (13 August): Butler's Lives of the Saints

About this sermon

Discover the remarkable life of St. Radegundes, Queen of France, in this August 13 reading from The Lives of the Saints by Father Alban Butler. Born the daughter of a pagan king in Thuringia, Radegundes was still very young when warfare changed the course of her life. She was taken captive and eventually came under the care of King Cloter, who gave her an education appropriate to her birth and had her instructed in the Christian religion. Her baptism transformed her life. From that moment, according to Butler’s account, Radegundes gave herself wholeheartedly to God. She reduced her own meals so that she could feed the poor, served them with her own hands, and made prayer, humility, and austerity her delight. Although she desired a life of perpetual virginity, she eventually became queen. Yet royal dignity did not weaken her devotion. As queen, St. Radegundes continued to divide her time chiefly between prayer, the church, and care for the poor. She practiced long fasts and even wore a hair cloth beneath her royal clothing during Lent. Her devotion eventually became a source of tension at court. The king complained that he had married “a nun rather than a queen,” yet Radegundes remained careful to fulfill the duties of her state while responding to injuries with patience and charity. May her example teach us to place Jesus Christ above every worldly possession and honor. 🙏 St. Radegundes, pray for us. 00:00 St. Radegundes, Queen of France — August 13 00:17 Daughter of a Pagan King of Thuringia 00:24 War Changes the Young Princess’s Life 00:31 Radegundes Is Taken Captive 00:39 Educated and Instructed in Christianity 00:48 Baptism Changes Her Life 00:55 Serving and Feeding the Poor 01:02 Prayer, Humility and Austerity 01:09 Her Desire for Perpetual Virginity 01:16 Radegundes Becomes Queen 01:26 Prayer, Church and Care for the Poor 01:33 Fasting and Penance at the Royal Court 01:42 “I Married a Nun Rather Than a Queen” 01:49 Faithfulness to Her Duties as Queen 01:58 Patience Toward Her Enemies 02:05 The Assassination of Her Brother 02:24 Radegundes Leaves the Royal Court 02:32 Receiving the Religious Veil 02:40 A Life of Poverty and Penance 02:48 Bread, Roots and a Bed of Ashes 03:02 Serving the Poor With Her Own Hands 03:11 The Monastery at Poitier 03:18 Agnes Becomes the First Abbess 03:26 The Queen Practices Humble Obedience 03:33 The King Wants Her Back at Court 03:48 Appeal to Saint Germanus of Paris 03:54 Prayer at the Tomb of Saint Martin 04:11 From the Throne to a Poor Cell 04:28 Securing the Future of Her Monastery 04:45 Desire for a Relic of the True Cross 04:53 Mission to Constantinople 05:01 The Relic and the Book of the Gospels 05:08 Solemn Procession at Poitier 05:17 The Origin of “Vexilla Regis” 05:25 Radegundes as a Scholar 05:34 Rule of Saint Caesarius 05:59 The Importance of Holy Prudence 06:22 Prayer and Seeking God’s Will 06:37 Reading and Meditating on Scripture 06:54 Almsgiving and Austerity 07:08 Discipline in Religious Community 07:24 Radegundes Studies Her Religious Rule 07:31 Establishing Monastic Discipline 07:40 King Cloter Becomes Sole King 07:55 The King Repents of His Sins 08:11 The Power of the Heavenly King 08:19 Death of King Cloter 08:28 Division of the Kingdom 09:05 Civil Wars Trouble France 09:21 Protection of Radegundes’ Monastery 09:29 Two Hundred Nuns at Holy Cross 09:36 Peace Amid the Storms of the Kingdom 09:45 Death of St. Radegundes — August 13 09:53 Saint Gregory of Tours Comes to Poitier 10:02 A Blind Man Recovers His Sight 10:09 Miracles at the Tomb of St. Radegundes https://sensusfidelium.com/the-lives-of-the-fathers-martyrs-and-other-principal-saints/august/saint-radegundes-queen-of-france/ Get Butler's Lives of the Saints here: https://loretopublications.idevaffiliate.com/idevaffiliate.php?id=102&url=1 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 ✝️ SUPPORT THE MISSION 🙏 Donate https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 📬 Free Catholic Newsletter https://sensusfidelium.com/newsletter/ 📰 Read on Substack https://sensusfidelium.substack.com/ ──────────────────── 📺 WATCH & READ 📺 Sensus Fidelium App https://sensusfidelium.tv/ 📚 Sensus Fidelium Press https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ 👕 Official Merchandise https://sensusfidelium.com/merchandise/ ──────────────────── 🤝 PARTNER WITH US 📣 Advertise on Sensus Fidelium https://sensusfidelium.com/advertise-with-sensus-fidelium/ 🎤 Invite Steve Cunningham to Speak https://sensusfidelium.com/speaking/ ⛪ Parish Formation & Consultation https://sensusfidelium.com/for-parishes/ ──────────────────── 🌎 CATHOLIC COMMUNITY ✝️ Trusted Catholic Businesses https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 #StRadegundes #SaintRadegundes #Radegundes #Radegund #QueenOfFrance #CatholicSaints #SaintOfTheDay #August13 #LivesOfTheSaints #ButlersLivesOfTheSaints #AlbanButler #FatherAlbanButler #CatholicFaith #CatholicChurch #Catholicism #CatholicHistory #CatholicWo