Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Part I - The Perfection of the Southern Gentleman

 

The South has been blessed throughout her history by the presence of Christian gentlemen, from Sir William Berkeley to Gen James Johnston Pettigrew to Donald Davidson.  These are noteworthy figures in the history of the [u]nited States, which in general produce rather flat, uninteresting figures who are more interested in worldly affairs like money-getting and politics than with the deeper things of the soul. 

This does not mean, however, that these gentlemen of Dixieland have reached the pinnacle of human perfection.  That achievement belongs to the Saints of the Orthodox Church alone, a world of completely unique teachings and experiences most of the South has been sundered from until quite recently.  What might a Southern gentleman look like, then, if he attained the perfect healing of soul and body by following the Orthodox Way?  The history of pre-Schism Western Europe offers us some strong hints in the lives of her Orthodox Saints.  Let us look first at St Pepin of Landen:

St Pepin of Landen (+640)

[Mayor of the Palace to the Kings Clotaire II.Dagobert, and Sigebert.]  HE was son of Carloman, the most powerful nobleman of Austrasia, who had been mayor to Clotaire I. son of Clovis I. He was grandfather to Pepin of Herstal, the most powerful mayor, whose son was Charles Martel, and grandson Pepin the Short, king of France, in whom begun the Carlovingian race. Pepin of Landen, upon the river Geete, in Brabant, was a lover of peace, the constant defender of truth and justice, a true friend to all servants of God, the terror of the wicked, the support of the weak, the father of his country, the zealous and humble defender of religion. He was lord of a great part of Brabant, and governor of Austrasia, when Theodebert II. king of that country was defeated by Theodoric II. king of Burgundy, and soon after assassinated in 612: and Theodoric dying the year following, Clotaire II. king of Soissons, reunited Burgundy, Neustria, and Austrasia to his former dominions, and became sole monarch of France. For the pacific possession of Austrasia he was much indebted to Pepin, whom he appointed mayor of the palace to his son Dagobert I. when, in 622, he declared him king of Austrasia and Neustria. The death of Clotaire II. in 628, put him in possession of all France, except a small part of Aquitain, with Thoulouse, which was settled upon his younger brother, Charibert. When king Dagobert, forgetful of the maxims instilled into him in his youth, had given himself up to a shameful lust, this faithful minister boldly reproached him with his ingratitude to God, and ceased not till he saw him a sincere and perfect penitent. This great king died in 638, and was buried at St. Deny’s. He had appointed Pepin tutor to his son Sigebert from his cradle, and mayor of his palace when he declared him king of Austrasia, in 633. After the death of Dagobert, Clovis II. reigning in Burgundy and Neustria, (by whom Erchinoald was made mayor for the latter, and Flaochat for the former,) Pepin quitted the administration of those dominions, and resided at Metz, with Sigebert, who always considered him as his father, and under his discipline became himself a saint, and one of the most happy amongst all the French kings. Pepin was married to blessed Itta, of one of the first families in Aquitain, by whom he had a son called Grimoald, and two daughters, St. Gertrude, and St. Begga. The latter, who was the elder, was married to Ansigisus, son of St. Arnoul, to whom she bore Pepin of Herstal. B. Pepin, of Landen, died on the 21st of February, in 640, and was buried at Landen; but his body was afterwards removed to Nivelle, where it is now enshrined, as are those of the B. Itta, and St. Gertrude in the same place. . . .

--Rev Alban Butler, https://www.bartleby.com/210/2/214.html

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Holy Ælfred the Great, King of England, South Patron, pray for us sinners at the Souð, unworthy though we are!

Anathema to the Union!

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