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Saint Louis of France 8/25/2023
King Louis IX of France led a Crusade in the mid-1200s. He died during another Crusade in 1270. In 1297, to honor the king's efforts as a Crusader, the Roman Catholic Church made Louis IX a saint.
At his coronation, St. Louis bound himself by oath to act as God's anointed king. St. Louis is known for interpreting his kingly duties in the light of faith.
Louis IX, also called Saint Louis, (born April 25, 1214, Poissy, France—died August 25, 1270, near Tunis [now in Tunisia]; canonized August 11, 1297, feast day August 25), king of France from 1226 to 1270, the most popular of the Capetian monarchs.
St. Louis is known for the Gateway Arch, the tallest monument constructed in the United States at 630 feet (190 m). The Arch pays homage to Thomas Jefferson and St. Louis's position as the gateway to the West.
King Louis IX was the only French king to become a saint, but not the only French royal. In fact, his younger sister, Isabelle, is also recognized as a saint by the Franciscan Order. King Louis became Saint Louis when he was canonized in 1297, 27 years after his death.
At his coronation as king of France, Louis IX bound himself by oath to behave as God’s anointed, as the father of his people and feudal lord of the King of Peace. Other kings had done the same, of course. Louis was different in that he actually interpreted his kingly duties in the light of faith. After the violence of two previous reigns, he brought peace and justice.
