Feast day: April 1
Saint Hugh was a very devout Christian who became the bishop of Grenoble, France. Hugh’s first few years as bishop were not easy. He had to deal with a lot of corruption in his diocese, including the buying and selling of Church offices, the desecration of clerical celibacy, laymen governing Church property, and religious unfamiliarity among the people. After two unsuccessful years without change, he decided to serve God as a Benedictine monk. After a year, the Pope instructed him to resume his position as bishop of Grenoble. This time, Hugh was very successful in bringing about reform. He courageously defended the Church in disputes and was a renowned preacher. He is best known as the patron and benefactor of Saint Bruno, who founded the Carthusian Order, a community devoted to prayer and solitude. In the picture here, Saint Hugh is the bishop with a cane at the right, and the young man serving the monks is Saint Hugh’s page. Because Saint Hugh frequently suffered from head pains, he became the patron saint against headaches. (Image, Saint Hugh in the Carthusian Refectory, in public domain-100)