I just posted Msgr Tonne's 'talk' on the Ceremonies of the Traditional Baptismal Rite so I thought I would post this now.
King St Louis IX of France was a powerful King of one of the pre-eminent Kingdoms of Europe at the time. Most Kings of the time, when signing a charter or other document, would sign 'X, King of Y', or X of Z', the zed standing for a major estate they held.
Not St Louis! He always signed himself as 'Louis of Poissy'. Why? Because he had been born in Poissy, near Paris (now a suburb of the city), and was baptised in the Collegiate Church of Our Lady in the town.
However, he did not sign 'of Poissy' because he had been born there. He signed in that fashion because he had been baptised there.
After he had been crowned in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Rheims, he was asked why he signed 'of Poissy'. He replied,
"I think more of the place where I was baptised than of Rheims Cathedral where I was crowned. It is a greater thing to be a child of God than to be the ruler of a Kingdom. This last I shall lose at death but the other will be my passport to an everlasting glory."
St Louis of Poissy, pray for us!
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