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Good King Wenceslaus: A Young Saint of Whom We Sing This Season

Associate Pastor's Column
Sunday, December 10, 2006

The Carol Good King Wenceslaus is typically sung in Catholic homes around Christmas time. This is because Dec. 26^th is the “Feast of Stephen.” St. Stephen is the first martyr, the “Proto martyr,” and his story is narrated at length in the Acts of the Apostles (chapters 6 and 7). Some might call the Innocents slain by Herod the first martyrs, as well, but St. Stephen bears the title. Now, who is it that went out “On the Feast of Stephen,” about whom we sing with such joy and pious devotion.

            St. Wenceslaus was King of Bohemia, which is now the region of the Czech Republic, and he is that nation’s patron saint. His grandparents founded the Premysl or Przemyslid dynasty, and both became Christians. The son who succeded them in the throne was Ratislav, St. Wenceslaus’ dad, who married a pagan woman named Drahomira. When King Ratislav died, Wenceslaus was only 13, and Drahomira ruled as Regent for five years.

            The mix of religions and relations in the family left a rather complex picture: Wenceslaus’ grandmother, Ludmilla, was a devout Christian. His mother, Drahomira was a pagan. Ludmilla raised and educated Wenceslaus as a Christian, and Drahomira raised and educated his brother Boleslaus as a pagan. Boleslaus eventually assassinated his saintly brother with ambition for the throne, when St. Wenceslaus was only in his early twenties; he had ruled only about five years.

In 1653 John Mason Neale composed and published the famous song, basing it on a 13^th century song called Tempus Adest Floridum, “The Flowering Time is Here,” literally, or more poetically, “Spring has Unwrapped her Flowers.” This latter piece was published in Finland in 1582 in a book called Piae Cantiones.

            When I was in Sacred Heart Major Seminary, our rector was Bishop Allen Vigneron. He did much to reform the seminary, to the consolation of Catholics everywhere, but never quite completed his work before the Pope made him the Ordinary of Oakland, California (The “Ordinary” is one Bishop who governs a diocese, even if that diocese has other Auxiliary Bishops.) He always sang us Good King Wenceslaus at the seminarian lunch party, a feast which signaled not only the end of the semester, but also the end of exams and the beginning of Christmas vacation.

            May all Catholic families sing this Carol this Christmas, and follow the example of faith-filled love of neighbor which burned in the heart of this young saint.

Good King Wenceslaus

Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night
Though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight
Gath’ring winter fuel

“Hither, page, and stand by me
If thou know’st it, telling
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?”
“Sire, he lives a good league hence
Underneath the mountain
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes’ fountain.”

“Bring me flesh and bring me wine
Bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I will see him dine
When we bear him thither.”
Page and monarch forth they went
Forth they went together
Through the rude wind’s wild lament
And the bitter weather

“Sire, the night is darker now
And the wind blows stronger
Fails my heart, I know not how,
I can go no longer.”
“Mark my footsteps, my good page
Tread thou in them boldly
Thou shalt find the winter’s rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly.”

In his master’s steps he trod
Where the snow lay dinted
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed
Therefore, Christian men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing
 

Picture: St. Wenceslaus prepared by his own hand the bread and wine to be used at the Eucharistic Sacrifice. Picture from a Holy Card; thanks:
http://www.catholic-forum.com/Saints/saintw03.htm