Catholic Saints

Saint William

  • Short, concise biography of Saint William
  • History, Life, Biography, Facts and Information about Saint William
  • Fast, concise facts and information
  • Date of Birth and Death
  • Important Dates surrounding the life of Saint William
  • Life History, Story, Biography, Myths and Legends
  • Description / Title of the Saint :Archbishop

Fast, concise facts and information about Saint William
The following provides fast and concise facts and information:

  • Memorial Day / Feast Day of Saint William: January 10
  • Description / Title of the Saint :Archbishop
  • Also referred to as William of Donjeon, St. William of Bourges and St. William the Confessor
  • Date of Birth: Saint William was born 1155, Nevers, France
  • Date of Death: Saint William died 1209

The Story and History of Saint William
The story and history of Saint William. William Berruyer, of the illustrious family of the ancient Counts of Nevers, was educated by Peter the Hermit, Archdeacon of Soissons, his uncle by the mother's side.

From his infancy William learned to despise the folly and emptiness of the world, to abhor its pleasures, and to tremble at its dangers. His only delight was in exercises of piety and in his studies, in which he employed his whole time with indefatigable application.

He was made canon, first of Soissons and afterwards of Paris; but he soon resolved to abandon the world, and retired into the solitude of Grandmont, where he lived with great regularity in that austere Order until finally he joined the Cistercians, then in wonderful odor of sanctity. After some time he was chosen Prior of the Abbey of Pontigny, and afterwards became Abbot of Chaalis.

On the death of Henri de Sully, Archbishop of Bourges, William was chosen to succeed him. The announcement of this new dignity which had fallen on him overwhelmed him with grief, and he would not have accepted the office had not the Pope and his General, the Abbot of Citeaux, commanded him to do so. His first care in his new position was to conform his life to the most perfect rules of sanctity. He redoubled all his austerities, saying it was incumbent on him now to do penance for others as well as for himself. He always wore a hair-shirt under his religious habit, and never added to his clothing in winter or diminished it in summer; he never ate any flesh-meat, though he had it at his table for strangers.

When he drew near his end, he was, at his request, laid on ashes in his hair-cloth, and in this posture expired on the 10th of January, 1209. His body was interred in his cathedral, and, being honored by many miracles, was taken up in 1217, and in the year following William was canonized by Pope Honorius III.

Feast Day of Saint William
The Feast Day of Saint William is January 10. The origin of Feast Days: most saints have specially designated feast days and are associated with a specific day of the year and these are referred to as the saint's feast day. The feast days first arose from the very early Christian custom of the annual commemoration of martyrs on the dates of their deaths at the same time celebrating their birth into heaven.

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