Sacred Calendar

Fourth Lesson - Royal Prospects Exchanged for Mercy

Felix, formerly called Hugh, was born in Gaul of the royal family of Valois. From his earliest years he gave no slight indications of his future holiness, especially by mercy toward the poor. While still an infant he distributed money to the needy with his own hand, as though he were older and possessed mature judgment. When somewhat grown, he frequently sent them food taken from the table and often stripped himself of his own clothing to cover the destitute. He obtained from his uncle Theobald, Count of Champagne and Blois, the life of a man condemned to death; and when the murderer was immediately surrounded by a most violent fire yet escaped it unharmed, the event gave clear divine testimony.

Fifth Lesson - Sacred Orders, Solitude, and St. John of Matha

After passing his youth in a praiseworthy manner, he began, through love of heavenly contemplation, to think of solitude. He first chose, however, to be initiated into sacred orders, so that he might cut off every hope of the kingdom, from whose succession by Salic law he was not far removed. Having been ordained priest and celebrated his first Mass with the greatest devotion, he withdrew not long afterwards into a wilderness. There, living in extreme abstinence and abounding in heavenly gifts, he spent several years with St. John of Matha, Doctor of Paris, who had sought and found him by divine inspiration. At length both, admonished by an angel from God, went to Rome to seek a special rule of life from the Supreme Pontiff.

Sixth Lesson - The Order of the Most Holy Trinity

Having received from Pope Innocent III confirmation of their own rule, they first built, in the Diocese of Meaux at the place called Cerfroid, a monastery of the order which Felix and his companion had established shortly before. There he wonderfully cultivated religious observance and the work of redemption and diligently propagated them through his disciples into other provinces. He received an illustrious favor from the Blessed Virgin Mother: during the watches of the night before the feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God, when the brethren had not yet arisen for Matins, Felix entered the choir before the appointed hour and found the Blessed Virgin in the midst of the choir, clothed in the habit marked with the cross of the order and accompanied by heavenly spirits similarly clothed. Felix led the divine praises with the Mother of God presiding and completed the office according to custom. As though called already from the earthly to the heavenly choir and made more certain by an angel of his approaching death, he exhorted his sons to charity toward the poor and captives and gave his soul back to God, full of years and merits, in 1212 under Pope Innocent III.