Practice Management

Saint Vincent Lombardi - Super Bowl Sunday - A Holy Day Of Obligation

By chucknewton

The Super Bowl falls on a Sunday so it is a holy day of obligation.  But, maybe, as history tells us, it ought to be much more.

As stated by Saint Vincent Lombardi, "I have the strength of twelve men, for my defensive line is pure."

Well, maybe we want the Super Bowl to be holier than it is.  But, consider this.

Each of our major holidays, such as Christmas, have a pre-Christian origin.  I might very well go to hell for telling your this, but the Roman historian Tacitus tells us that as part of the Germans' celebrations for their god he identified as Mercury, they would toss pigs back and forth while drinking and feasting.  This grew to become one of their most important religious festivals.  As Christianity began to spread among the Germans, the Church realized that they would not easily give up their most important holiday. As such, Super Bowl Sunday was adapted to a Christian theme to speed Germanic acceptance of Christianity.

Eventually a patron saint for the Super Bowl was established -- Vincentius of Langobardia, commonly known in English as St. Vincent Lombardi.  Born around 610 AD in Milan, he first enters history in 663 AD as a general in the armies of Grimoald, King of the Lombards. The Lombards had had many successes in Italy, but were facing an invasion by the Chiefs, a still pagan tribe from the East, led by their king Henricus Strammo. On account of Grimoald's illness, Vincentius was charged with defending Lombardy from Chieftain depredations.

On a January afternoon in 667, the armies met in battle. The first half of the battle, according to contemporary accounts, was fierce, with the Chiefs almost gaining the upper hand. During the second half, though, a series of successes led to Vincentius defeating the Chiefs and forcing their King to accept baptism. Chastened, the Chiefs retreated.

Now, St. Vincent was Catholic, but his religious beliefs was tolerated by Grimoald, who was married to a Catholic.  Vincentius was honored by the Pope and given a ring for his role in Christianity.  He died in 670.  After his death reports of miracles attributed to him and his relics, primarily the ring and his hat, began to spread. He was eventually canonized in 720 by Pope St. Gregory II.

Adapting St. Vincent Lombardi's story to the old Super Bowl Sunday holiday help spread Christianity among the Germanic peoples, but as time passed, his memory, and the memory of the original holiday, faded.

So during this holiday season, during this holy day of obligation, as we gather with our friends and loved ones to watch this Super Bowl Sunday, please let us take a moment to reflect on this origin of this holiday, and on the gifts provide to us by St. Vincent Lombardi.

Full post as published by Chuck Newton on February 03, 2008 (boomark / email).