January 16/3 (423 -512 AD)
Happy Feast Day!
St. Geneviève’s reliquary at the church of St. Étienne du Mont (St. Stephen the Protomartyr of the Mount) in Paris, France -2006
There’s a special reason St. Simeon the Stylite and St. Geneviève are portrayed together in the Icon on the far wall.
General knowledge of St. Geneviève’s lifelong holiness, care for the poor, and miracles, became so widespread, that news of it reached her Syrian contemporary, St. Simeon the Stylite. He was inspired to send a delegation to Paris with greetings, asking her prayers for his salvation.
Throughout her life and prayerful intercessions to God, St. Geneviève helped protect Paris from an invasion by Attila the Hun, starvation during a Frankish siege, and plagues.
St. Geneviève’s icon usually depicts her with a candle, as sometimes when holding an unlit candle, it would miraculously ignite, and stay lit… even if outside, during wind or rainstorms.
St. Geneviève had a particular devotion to an earlier saint… St. Dionysius the Areopagite. He was baptized by the Holy Apostle Paul, became the first Bishop of Paris, and was later martyred. St. Geneviève often visited the place of his martyrdom to pray, and later motivated the Parisians to have a church built over St. Dionysius’ and his fellow martyrs’ relics.
St. Geneviève and St. Dionysius the Areopagite (St. Denis of Paris), are the patron saints of Paris.
We only need to open our eyes to see the gifts that abound around us. These are the simple joys of life. ~ St. Geneviève
If we open our hearts to give love we are immediately transported into the joy and blessings of love. ~ St. Geneviève
The footsteps of an Angel in your life are Love. ~ St. Geneviève
Congratulations to a dear friend, whose patron saint is St. Geneviève. God grant you many years!
