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As we deepen our relationship with the Eternal Word, Jesus Christ, we grow in grace and are transformed by His love and mercy.
c. 950–1012
Patron Saint of Anderlecht, sacristans, laborers, bachelors, horned animals, and work horses; against epilepsy and rabies
St. Guy of Anderlecht demonstrates that holiness can be found in the ordinary duties of daily life. Born near Brussels around the middle of the tenth century, he was taught the Faith and the value of spiritual riches in a life of poverty by his pious parents.
He developed a deep love for God from an early age. Guy dedicated himself to serving the Church and helping those in need, and he felt grateful for living in poverty like Jesus.
Guy’s pious practices at church caught the priest’s attention, and the priest offered him the job of sacristan, which he readily accepted. He was responsible for cleaning the church, washing the altar linens, preparing the sacred vessels, and keeping fresh flowers in the sanctuary.
He fulfilled his responsibilities faithfully and with great love, while using a good portion of his small earnings to help the poor. His generosity became well known, and he often gave away his own possessions to help those who were struggling.
According to tradition, a merchant convinced Guy to participate in a commercial venture that promised higher income to help the poor. The effort ended in failure, and Guy regretted having become involved in worldly pursuits. He was torn with regret for having left his work as a sacristan, which allowed him to serve God so intimately.
Seeking to repent of the greed that led to his loss, he undertook a pilgrimage to Rome and the Holy Land that lasted several years. During this time, he visited important shrines and spent time in prayer and doing penance.
On his way back home, Guy met a church group from Anderlecht, who asked him to be their guide to the Holy Land. Exhausted but always willing to serve, he undertook the task. As they were about to return to Europe, a plague fell upon the land. Guy worked diligently to care for all the afflicted pilgrims and buried those who died.
After returning home, he was weak and weary from his travels. He fell ill and died around 1012. Soon after, reports of miracles associated with his intercession helped spread devotion to him throughout Belgium and neighboring regions.
St. Guy is the patron saint of sacristans because he spent the first part of his life serving as a sacristan, a person responsible for the cleaning and upkeep of the church building, the care of sacred vessels and vestments, and preparations for worship. Joyfully caring for the church, he approached these duties with great reverence and dedication, seeing them as a direct service to God. Because of his faithful service in an important yet unnoticed role, he was chosen as protector over others who work behind the scenes to support the Church’s liturgical life.
Guy was called the “Poor Man of Anderlecht” because he joyfully renounced wealth and status to embrace a life of poverty, charity, and humble service. Born to impoverished peasant parents near Brussels, he served as a sacristan at the Sanctuary of Our Lady in Laeken. Despite his scant wages, he consistently shared what little he had with those less fortunate, even when it meant going hungry himself. He briefly left his church duties to become a river trader, believing he could generate more money to give to the poor. When his first cargo ship sank, he took it as a divine reprimand for his greed. To make amends, he spent seven years walking on foot as a pilgrim to Rome and Jerusalem, returning to Anderlecht completely exhausted and destitute. He spent his final days living in penance and prayer before his death in 1012, affirming his lifelong search for spiritual wealth, rather than material security.
St. Guy remains associated with Anderlecht, a district of Brussels where his tomb became a place of pilgrimage. The Collegiate Church of St. Peter and St. Guido (Guy) in Anderlecht was built in his honor and houses his relics. Devotion to him flourished throughout the Middle Ages. For centuries, local traditions have included annual processions and celebrations honoring his memory. He is honored as the patron saint of Anderlecht.
The Blessed Virgin Mary bore extreme pains throughout her life. And as the mother of the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53), she witnessed her Son’s Passion and Death on the Cross. This is why, as we face our own pains and temptations, we should turn to Our Lady of Sorrows and meditate on her Seven Dolors, or Sorrows.
This free eBook will encourage you to meditate on these Sorrows that pierced Mary’s Immaculate Heart. Use the form below to tell us where to send your free eBook, The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
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As we deepen our relationship with the Eternal Word, Jesus Christ, we grow in grace and are transformed by His love and mercy.
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