WALKING WITH THE SAINTS l FEAST OF ST. ANSGAR, APOSTLE OF THE NORTH l FEBRUARY 3
St. Ansgar, Anskar or Oscar was known as the “Apostle of the North” as he travelled and preached to bring Christianity to Northern Europe. He is also known as the Apostle of Hanover, Germany. Ansgar was the son of a noble French family. He
was born in Corbie, France on September 8, 801. After his mother’s early death, he was brought up in a Benedictine monastery in Picardy. As a little boy, he had a vision that
his mother was in the company of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This gave him impression and he became very prayerful and virtuous
and when he was of age, he joined the Benedictine Order and became a very powerful teacher and preacher. He was sent as a missionary to Denmark, but with little success. When Sweden needed a missionary, Ansgar set out with another monk. Unfortunately, they were captured by pirates on the way and suffered many difficulties. But they were able to escape and reached Sweden. After more than a year in Sweden, he was recalled and the pope made him legate of the Scandinavian missions and in 831 appointed him Archbishop of Hamburg.He sent the first missionary priests to Hanover, Germany
. Ansgar devoted himself to the work and preaching in his diocese. After 13 years, another misfortune happened. The Northmen came and burned the cities to the ground. As a result, Sweden and Denmark returned to paganism. Again, Ansgar established new apostolic activities in the North. He travelled
to Denmark and was instrumental in the conversion of a new king. After the death of Louis, the Pious in 840, the diocese was divided into two and Ansgar lost the abbey of Turholt. There was no revenue and many workers deserted him. The son of the king did not bestow Turholt to Ansgar, but in 847, made Ansgar
the bishop of Bremen and Ansgar settled there in 848. But another canonical difficulty arose. It took time before the pope approved the union of Hamburg and Bremen. Yet Ansgar continued his northern mission. The Danish civil war
forced him to establish relations with two kings. He obtained permission to build a church in Sleswick and the recognition of Christianity as a tolerated religion. Ansgar is remembered as an extraordinary preacher, a humble and ascetical priest. He was devoted to the poor and the sick. He imitated the Lord Jesus in washing their feet and in serving them at table. He was known as a self-effacing priest. He asked only for one miracle – that God would make him a good man. Deep in his heart he treasured the desire to give his life for the faith, to die as a martyr, to show his great love for God. But contrary to his wish, he died peacefully in Bremen, Germany on February 3, 865 and was buried in the cathedral. After his death, Sweden turned back to paganism and returned only two centuries later. Ansgar worked, preached
and suffered very much and did not taste success. Instead, he lived to see his work destroyed and his sacrifices apparently fruitless: we can say that it was one defeat after another. Yet, in the eyes of God he was a winner. And in himself, he looked at his defeats as victories; his pains, he considered as gains. He was indeed a great missionary! Pope Nicholas, I confirmed his
canonization. His feast day is February 3.
Virtue: piety, faith, chastity, integrity, fortitude, humility, charity, obedience, patience and hope
Prayer: “St. Ansgar, please pray that we may have your undying faith and hope in God’s love.”
