May 23 - Saint William of Rochester
Quick Facts- William led a wild and misspent youth, but as an adult he had a complete conversion, devoting himself to God, caring especially for poor and neglected children.
- He worked as a baker, and gave every tenth loaf to the poor.
- He attended Mass daily, and one morning on his way to church he found an infant abandoned on the threshold.
- He named the baby David, and adopted him, and taught him his trade.
- Years later he and David set out on a pilgrimage to the Holy Lands.
- During a stopover in Rochester, England the boy David turned on William, clubbed him, cut his throat, robbed the body, and fled.
- Because he was on a holy journey, and because of the miraculous cures later reported at his tomb, he is considered a martyr.
- A local insane woman found William's body, and plaited a garland of honeysuckle flowers for it; she placed the garland on William, and then on herself whereupon her madness was cured.
- Local monks, seeing this as a sign from God, interred William in the local cathedral and began work on his shrine.
- His tomb and a chapel at his murder scene, called Palmersdene, soon became sites of pilgimage and donation, even by the crown.
- Remains of the chapel can be seen near the present Saint William's Hospital.
