March 18 Saint Frigidian of Lucca

Son of the king of Ulster, Ireland, St. Frigidian is sometimes known as the Wayward Saint. After becoming a priest in the 500s, St. Frigidian went on a short pilgrimage to Rome. He stopped for a few days in the town of Lucca, Italy when he discovered a small, well tended cemetery of martyrs. While he was staying over in the town, hanging out at the cemetery, the local bishop died. The local clergy looked around for a worthy and devout candidate, chose the gregarious Irish monk lounging about the cemetery. Makes one wonder about the condition of all the local priests. While he preferred a life of solitude, he did his best as bishop. He managed to organize the local clergy into a coherent group with regular laws governing the wide flung churches. He still took regulars sojourns into the countryside to satisfy his monastic side. On one of these trips he realized the river that ran through the town of Lucca was rising rapidly. He borrowed a hoe, said a prayer, ordered the river to follow him, then dug a new, safe course for the river by dragging the tool through the dirt.

I pray for the intercessions of Saint Frigidian for all the people of Japan.