St. Boniface

Patron Saint of Germany and Brewers

St. Boniface was a Benedictine monk who dedicated his life to building up the Catholic Church in Germany. Originally from England, he was sent to continental Europe to serve as a missionary in the eighth century. Boniface is considered to be the one who inspired the tradition of the Christmas tree. He went to a village that offered human sacrifices to a sacred oak tree that they believed was their god. Boniface interrupted the sacrifice, picked up an axe and cut down the tree. The people were shocked that their god did not strike Boniface down for cutting down the oak tree and began to listen to his preaching about Jesus. Boniface pointed to a small fir tree as he preached to them and told them that this would be their new holy tree - to take into their homes and remind them of how Christ came as a child to offer us eternal life.