Celebrating the Feast of Sant’Uberto di Liegi

An art card depicting The Conversion of
St. Hubert I purchased at the Morgan
Library & Museum earlier this year

Great St. Hubert, you were passionate about hunting, but when touched by Divine Grace, you put down your bow and took up the collar of Priesthood. Known for your miracles and the conversion of hundreds, you convinced others to worship and glorify Our Lord. Moved by your example, I implore your help. I ask for the Grace to follow in your footsteps and become a passionate disciple of Christ. Amen. 

Following Sunday Mass at the Shrine Church of the Holy Innocents (128 West 37th St.) in Manhattan, members of the Fratelli della Santa Fede (Brothers of the Holy Faith) made our way to a nearby restaurant to celebrate the Feast of Sant’Uberto di Liegi (St. Hubert of Liège), the patron saint of hunters. Unfortunately, the commuter nightmare that is the New York City Marathon prevented some from joining in. With us in spirit, we kept them in our prayers.

God bless my brethren who always indulge me whenever I want to pay homage to a saint, even a relatively unknown one like Sant’Uberto, in order to satisfy some personal vow or devotion. Admittedly, I wasn’t too familiar with the Apostle of the Ardennes until I saw him mentioned on an episode of Tumblar House's Off the Menu podcast with Vincent Frankini and the irrepressible Charles A. Coulombe, whose ebullient description of the holiday got me excited about the Saint.

According to tradition, Uberto (c. 656-727) turned from God after the untimely death of his wife. Withdrawing from society and his faith, the distraught nobleman lost himself in the hunt. On Good Friday morning, he came upon a magnificent white stag with a gleaming cross between its antlers. Mesmerized by the great beast, he heard a voice say, “Hubert, unless thou turns to the Lord, and leads a holy life, thou shalt quickly go down into hell.” Renouncing his wealth and titles, he straightened out his life and joined the priesthood, eventually becoming the first Bishop of Liège (Leodicum) in the eastern Frankish Kingdom of Austrasia.

As far as I can tell, the cult of Sant’Uberto is not all that widespread in southern Italy. However, having just commemorated All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, not to mention the month of November being dedicated to the Holy Souls in Purgatory, my recent ruminations about the saints and my ancestors were still fresh in my head. The Feast was a golden opportunity for me to venerate Sant’Uberto, as well as honor the memory of my father, who was an avid hunter.

While I love all the saints, by my nature I find myself drawn to certain ones. For example, the martial aspects of San Michele Arcangelo, San Giorgio Martire, and San Martino di Tours, among others, appeal to me on a visceral level. Not because I style myself a great warrior or have a military background, but because I strive to emulate the ascetic and noble ideals of knightly chivalry and honor they personify.

In contrast, San Tommaso d’Aquino, San Alfonso Maria de Liguori, San Benedetto da Nursia, and San Bernardo di Chiaravalle, appeal to me on a more intellectual level. Reading the masterful works of the Doctors and Fathers of the Church has been life changing and inspirational to say the least, especially now as I transition to a less active and more contemplative way of life.

My devotion to San Longino Martire, Santa Maria Maddalena, and Beato Bartolo Longo stems from my own less than admirable past. They remind me that with enough prayer and penance, there is a glimmer of hope that even a sinner like me can be redeemed.

Some, like the Infant of Prague, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, San Giovanni Battista, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and St. Joan of Arc, have deep familial and childhood ties; while others, too numerous to name here, were adopted later in life for innermost reasons. I count Sant’Uberto among them.

After dinner, we stopped by a pub
for a celebratory beer. Santè!

Undoubtedly, my affinity to the glorious huntsman derives from my own upbringing and experiences. If I may be so bold, I feel a sense of familiarity with him. Though born and bred in Brooklyn, I was blessed with a family that loved the great outdoors and went hiking, fishing, foraging, and camping all the time. Taught to shoot a bow and rifle, a healthy respect and appreciation for nature was instilled in me at an early age. Similarly, I experienced tragedy, went through a period of isolation and doubt, and strayed from the faith. Needless to say, my reversion was far less dramatic than the Saint’s.

A most welcome addition to my extended saintly family, Sant’Uberto will fit right in with my long list of personal patrons. Raising a pint of Belgian beer, and hopefully in the future over a more suitable and thematic meal (venison, wild boar, etc.), I will regularly petition the Holy Hunter to intercede on behalf of my father, his hunting buddies, and the poor and forgotten Souls in Purgatory. Viva Sant’Uberto!

~ Giovanni di Napoli, Monday, November 4th, Feast of St. Charles Borromeo