Saint of the week: Louis IX of France
- Aimee Boudreaux MacIver
- 10 hours ago
- 4 min read
My sister recently texted me: I found ancestry records that say Louis IX of France is our 22nd great-grandfather.
I’ve certainly heard his name thousands of times, but that may have been the first time I ever set out to read his story—ironic, given how central he is to my beloved New Orleans. The most recognizable image of the city is the three-spired cathedral basilica named for St Louis, King of France. My dad also grew up in a parish and parochial school named for him.
It’s always strange reading the story of a saint born in another age. There are inevitably elements that clash with modern sensibilities and morés, even more so when the saint happens to have been a monarch. Kings belong to a human culture so different from our own; it’s hard to reconcile things like holy wars or absolute power with sanctity. But maybe that’s the point: maybe holiness is striving to serve God and man in the best way you know how, and repenting of your sins when you learn more. Maybe—definitely—we will all see clearly in Heaven the ways we misunderstood and mishandled grace.
My great-grandfatherx22, the king of France, was born in 1214 outside of Paris. He ascended the throne at age 12. His mother served as regent until Louis matured. It was from her that he gained the deep faith that marked his reign. On his coronation day, Louis begged God for “strength and light.”
For more than 40 years, Louis ruled with a genuine desire to govern according to Christian principles. He took seriously his duty to lead his people not only in material welfare, but also in holiness. He began each day with Mass, prayed the daily Divine Office, and rejected indulgent luxury for personal austerity. Louis became beloved for his personal care of the needy that emphasized compassion and justice. He introduced fairer courts and reformed the legal system, introducing the concept of innocent until proven guilty. He personally received petitions from his people. Along with his wife, Margaret, and their eleven children, Louis regularly invited the hungry to eat at his own dinner table. Every Saturday, he prayerfully washed the feet of the poor who came to the castle.
One of Louis’ major ambitions was to protect holy places and things. He embarked upon two crusades, all of which failed, with that intention. But he successfully acquired the Crown of Thorns relics and built the spectacular Sainte-Chapelle in Paris to house them. (You should absolutely go pray inside the breathtaking stained glass spires if you’re in Paris.) Louis believed in sacramentality: that material beauty can reveal and connect us with God. Maybe I got my love of pilgrimage from him?
His life story has many more chapters and bullets than this. As the king, almost every day of his life was recorded by someone. That’s how we have the final instructions that Louis gave to his son as he lay dying in Tunisia during his second failed crusade in 1270. These words capture Louis’ vision of his vocation:
Love God, the Almighty, above all else.
Flee sin more quickly than you would a serpent.
Become not fainthearted, in adversity.
Become not elevated, in the days of prosperity.
Show the wounds of your soul frequently, to your spiritual physician and refuse no remedies, however bitter, to heal them.
Pray diligently.
Be compassionate and generous to the poor.
If your mind is harassed with doubt, consult a devout man.
Keep faithful and pious counsellors around you and dismiss those who are wicked.
All that is good, hold fast: all that is bad, discard.
Lend a willing ear to those who speak of God.
Listen not to calumniators and slanderers.
So long as you reign, leave not unpunished those who blaspheme God and the Saints.
First be grateful to God, then to men.
Love and protect justice and neither neglect nor despise the complaints of the needy.
In your own affairs, when they are not perfectly clear, speak and act against yourself.
Refund immediately the possessions of others.
Protect the clergy.
Love and honour your parents.
If you are obliged to war against Christians, spare the Churches and the Convents.
Endeavour to terminate all contentions with kindness.
Guard all your officials with a watchful eye.
Ever show due reverence to the Pope.
Overstep not the bounds of moderation in your expenses.
When I have departed, let prayers and Masses be said for the repose of my soul.
Louis’ last words were, “Into Thy hands I commend my spirit.” He died at 3:00 p.m. on August 25, the day that is now his feast. With our last breath, may we approach the King of kings with the same humility and trust.
Pilgrimage with St Louis IX, King of France
In New Orleans, visit the Cathedral-Basilica of St Louis King of France in the heart of the French Quarter. It’s the oldest continuously operating cathedral in the United States. The cathedral is an active parish with Mass and Confession open to the public. You can also book a wonderful private tour of the historic crypt and other private areas.
In Paris, visit Sainte Chapelle, the church built by Louis as a reliquary for the Crown of Thorns. Those relics are now housed in Notre Dame Cathedral, but Sainte-Chapelle remains one of the Church’s most magnificent tributes to beauty. Try to get the first tickets of the day (usually around 9:00 am). It doesn’t take long to visit, but it is a worthwhile stop.
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