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This page was updated on 31st March 2006.

Boniface was born Winfrith at Crediton in the year 680. At an early age he decided to become a priest. First he went to a Benedictine monastic school at Exeter, some twelve kilometres South East of Crediton. He was a competent scholar. After a few years he went to another monastery at Nursling, now a suburb of Southampton. There he became a Benedictine monk and later a priest. At the age of 36, in the year 716, he set off for the area we now know as Holland, or The Netherlands, and embarked upon a vocation to bring Christianity to the pagan peoples. This work was a severe challenge for a young priest and his two contemporaries. They regrouped back at Nursling and decided to go to Rome to seek some authority for their aim. Pope Gregory was obviously impressed by Winfrith and his love of learning. It was here that Winfrith was given the name Boniface by the Pope. In 722 he was made a Bishop and sent to the lands we now know as central Germany. Although he was a Bishop he had no defined boundaries to his 'German' diocese.

He made the Abbey at Fulda, some 90 km North East of the modern city of Frankfurt, his spiritual domicile. He spent the next 30 years of his life establishing abbeys, monasteries and other religious centres, throughout central Europe. He was made an Archbishop in 732 by Pope Gregory II.

He longed to return to the challenge of his youth, converting the heathens of Frisia (today this is the northern part of The Netherlands). In his early 70s he left his position at Fulda and set off with a party of fellow monks for Frisia. The region was still problematic and on the 5th June 754 they were attacked at Dokkum, a town near the north Netherlands coastline. Boniface was killed.

His body was taken by the monks back to his adopted home, and was eventually interred in the Abbey. Today this tomb is located in a crypt beneath the high altar of the baroque Cathedral at Fulda. He was canonized as a Saint shortly after his martyrdom. His "Saint's Day", in Christian Calendars, is 5th June.

Boniface has many letters attributed to him. These can be found on the internet. Their authenticity and interpretation have also been the subject of many academic studies, mostly in German, but a few in English.

Today the three centres closely associated with Boniface's life: Crediton, Fulda and Dokkum, are united in a common purpose to celebrate one of Europe's most influential sons.

For those requiring more detailed information on the life of Boniface see references. Alternatively look through the many web-site accounts of his life, e.g.:

   Order of Saint Benedict directs enquirers to the Catholic Encyclopaedia (U.S.A.)

   A Franciscan Account

   Catholic Forum Saints Directory entry

Secular directories of Saints (books and internet) give more information on aspects of European history.

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