Saint Sigfrid

Sigefred had barely arrived in Sweden when he began to combat paganism with marvelous zeal. He first preached in Wexiö, i n sou Wexiö City in Sweden where Sigfrid founded an episcopal see and was buried. thern Gothia, where he founded an episcopal see; he then traveled through South Gothland, Westrogothia, and several other provinces, all of which he won over to Jesus Christ. Never did a missionary show himself a more faithful imitator of the Apostles. Our Saint possessed a charity and selflessness that caused his ministry to be honored even by the pagans themselves.

Here is an act that will prove how far he carried these two virtues. Three of his nephews, whom he had left at Wexiö while he was announcing the Gospel in other provinces, were inhumanely murdered by idolaters. The king, indignant at such a dark deed, which could have dangerous consequences if it remained unpunished, resolved to condemn the murderers to death. The Saint, informed of what was happening, interceded for them and did so with such insistence that he obtained that their lives would be spared. The prince nevertheless condemned them to a large fine for the benefit of Sigefred; but it was not possible to induce the latter to receive anything, even though he was in extreme poverty and had a very pressing need for money to secure the foundation of the new church.

Our Saint died around the year 1002, and was buried in the cathedral of Wexiö, where his tomb became famous for a great number of miracles. Pope Adrian IV, who had himself worked with great zeal for the conversion of Norway and several other northern regions, canonized him around the year 1158. The Swedes considered Saint Sigefred the ir apostle as saint Sigefred Priest of York who became a bishop and apostle to Sweden in the 11th century. long as they remained Catholic. Those inhabitants of the country who have kept the true faith still honor him in a special way. One finds in a supplement, printed in Paris around 1832 and containing the offices of the saints of Poland and Sweden, an office of Saint Sigefred, Sigfridus, with proper hymns. In Sweden, his feast is celebrated on February 25; in Milan, it is fixed for the 15th of the same month.

In the ancient calendars of Sweden, February 15 was marked by a crozier and an axe: the crozier indicated Saint Sigefred, and the axe recalled the murder of his three nephews, Unamann, S unamann Unamann Nephew of Sigefred, martyr in Sweden. , and Vina Sunamann Nephew of Sigefred, martyr in Sweden. mann , who ha Vinamann Nephew of Sigefred, martyr in Sweden. d come with him to evangelize Sweden and whose remains he fully recovered: this is why he is depicted carrying three heads. Sometimes these heads are in a tub placed on the bishop's hand. Elsewhere, the Saint sees three heads that speak to him from the bottom of the tomb. This latter manner recalls that the murderers had hidden the bodies of their victims so well that it took a miracle for Saint Sigefred to discover them.