Image: Saint Giles and the Hind | Master of St. Giles

Saint Giles

Saint of the Day for September 1

(c. 650 – 710)

Saint Giles’ Story

Despite the fact that much about Saint Giles is shrouded in mystery, we can say that he was one of the most popular saints in the Middle Ages. Likely, he was born in the first half of the seventh century in southeastern France. That is where he built a monastery that became a popular stopping-off point for pilgrims making their way to Compostela in Spain, and the Holy Land.

In England, many ancient churches and hospitals were dedicated to Giles. One of the sections of the city of Brussels is named after him. In Germany, Giles was included among the so-called 14 Holy Helpers, a popular group of saints to whom people prayed, especially for recovery from disease, and for strength at the hour of death. Also among the 14 were Saints Christopher, Barbara, and Blaise. Interestingly, Giles was the only non-martyr among them. Devotion to the “Holy Helpers” was especially strong in parts of Germany and in Hungary and Sweden. Such devotion made his popularity spread. Giles was soon invoked as the patron of the poor and the disabled.

The pilgrimage center that once drew so many fell into disrepair some centuries after Giles’ death.

Reflection

Saint Giles may not have been a martyr but, as the word martyr means, he was a true witness to the faith. This is attested to by the faith of the People of God in the Middle Ages. He became one of the “holy helpers” and can still function in that role for us today.

Saint Giles is the Patron Saint of:

Beggars
The Disabled
Disasters
The Poor

Used with permission of Franciscan Media, www.franciscanmedia.org.

***St. Giles - Helper of God’s Precious Infants***

Reflection on St. Giles acting as a Helper of God’s Precious Infants:

My father was not familiar with the Saint of the Day for September 1, St. Giles. The patrons of this saint and the title given to the saint caught his eye, and my father immediately envisioned the unborn children around the world. St. Giles is included as one of the 14 Holy Helpers. People prayed to these saints when they were trying to recover from disease, and at the hour of death, the people prayed for strength. Some unborn children are afflicted with disease or deformity, and many are threatened with an early death. The title “Holy Helpers” reminded my father and me of the contemporary group, “Helpers of God’s Precious Infants”. The ‘Helpers” educate us and pray for mothers and their babes in their wombs, who enter abortuaries.

The patrons who are served by St. Giles include beggars, the disabled, and the poor. One other patron of this saint is disasters, or victims of such events. Boy, I can’t think of a better word to call abortion, an event which is a major disaster for the child in the womb, the mother carrying the child, and the country which allows such terror within its borders. This reflection comes as the disastrous hurricane, Dorian, is now destroying people and property on the island of Bermuda.

The child in the womb would be considered poor, without material or financial possessions, but rich in spiritual dignity, made in the Creator’s image. Some in the womb have physical and intellectual disabilities, but all of us are disabled, in the sense that we are dependent on our mothers for protection, unable to survive on the outside for a limited time, early in pregnancy. The patron of beggar is most appropriate, since I, Rose Michael, am in a constant state of ‘begging’ for my life, and the life of my many ‘cousins’. I beg everyone to abandon this terrorist activity, restore personhood to all the unborn, and act in a merciful way, as written in the Gospels. I beg you in the name of St. Giles! Please ‘hepp’ me, ‘hepp’ me!

For further reading see: www.helpers.ny.org., and www.franciscanmedia.org.

Thank you for your assistance.

Rose M. Bryo