Portal:Catholicism/Patron Archive/May 23

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Saint William of Perth (Saint William of Rochester) (died ca. 1201) was a Scottish saint who was martyred in England.Born at Perth, at this time one of the most important towns in Scotland, practically all that is known of this martyr comes from the Nova legenda Anglie, and that is little. In youth he had been somewhat wild, but on reaching manhood he devoted himself wholly to the service of God. A baker by trade (some sources say he was a fisherman), he was accustomed to set aside every tenth loaf for the poor.He went to Mass daily, and one morning, before it was light, found on the threshold of the church an abandoned child, whom he adopted and to whom he taught his trade. Later he took a vow to visit the Holy Places, and, having received the consecrated wallet and staff as a palmer, set out with his adopted son, whose name is given as "Cockermay Doucri", which is said to be Scots for "David the Foundling". They stayed three days at Rochester, and purposed to proceed next day to Canterbury (and perhaps thence to Jerusalem), but instead David willfully misled his benefactor on a short-cut and, with robbery in view, felled him with a blow on the head and cut his throat.
Attributes:Devotional medals depict him with a dog and a staff.
Patronage:Adopted children
Prayer: