November 8: saint of the day, name day


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The Saint of the day 8 November is San Goffredo di Amiens, which name day is celebrated and other saints who are celebrated on this date.


San Goffredo di Amiens

Goffredo di Amiens, born in 1066 in Moulincourt, a French town belonging to the diocese of Soissons, was the third son of a noble family.

When his uncle was five years old, the bishop of Soissons commissioned the abbot of Mont Saint Quentin, a convent located near Péronne, where Goffredo took his vows becoming a Benedictine monk for his education.


In 1091 he was ordained a priest by the bishop of Noyon and was later appointed abbot of the convent of Nogent, which was going through a period of decline.

Goffredo used much of his energy in the material and moral restoration of the same convent, to such an extent that the archbishop of Reims proposed that he become abbot in the great abbey of Saint-Rémi.

But Goffredo refused the promotion, motivating his decision by saying that God forbade him to leave a bride in poverty in exchange for a rich one.


Taking into account only his merits, excluding any political gain, in 1104 the feudal lords and the King appointed him Bishop of Amiens where he entered barefoot, dressed as a pilgrim to avoid any pomp.

Bishop Goffredo tried tirelessly to restore in the diocese that peace of God to which the very meaning of his name hinted.

In fact, the enemies of God's peace were numerous, more or less hidden among the powerful and among the people, as well as among the feudal lords and among the religious themselves.


For this reason, his activity as a peaceful reformer was very demanding, as he was continually hindered and denigrated.

He fought with all his might against simony and frequent violations of celibacy by his priests.

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A woman living with a priest tried unsuccessfully to poison him, in fact the poison killed a dog in his place.

At that time the city of Amiens tried to organize itself into a free municipality, to take off the weight of the power of the feudal lords.

In many cities the bishops elected by the feudal lords and extremely attached to their temporal privileges, openly contrasted the communal tendencies of the people, giving their support instead to those who had weapons and money in their hands.

On the contrary, Goffredo gave his support to his citizens and was their ally in the municipal initiative which unfortunately was not successful.

For this reason, as soon as the feudal lords regained control of the city, the life of Bishop Goffredo, who was a deep admirer of justice, became even harder.

Before he reached fifty years of age, Goffredo fell ill during a pilgrimage to the church of Santissimi Crispino and Crispiniano, to which he was very devoted.

He died on 8 November 1115 at the abbey dedicated to the two holy shoemakers, where he was buried, in a place very distant from his cathedral, where his story as a righteous pastor and a contrasted Bishop had taken place.


Other saints and celebrations of 8 November

  • Saint Adeodatus I (or Deusdedit)
  • Pope

  • San Chiaro di Tours
  • Blessed John Duns Scotus
  • Saints Joseph Nguyen Dinh Nghi, Paul Nguyen Ngan and companions
  • Martyrs

  • Blessed Maria Crocifissa Satellico
  • Clarissa

  • Four Crowned Saints
  • Martyrs

    അനുദിന വിശുദ്ധർ (Saint of the Day) November 8th - St. Godfrey of Amiens & Four Crowned Martyrs (February 2024)


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