February 7 | Saint Richard of Wessex

Welcome, young history buffs and curious minds, to My Daily Saint, the podcast that digs deep into the incredible lives of the saints, those remarkable people who shaped history and continue to inspire us today. Forget dusty old portraits and boring stories. Today, imagine that you have it all. And I don't mean you have the newest iPhone or a really good killstreak in your favorite video game. I mean you have everything. You have gold. You have land. You have an army. You have people bowing to you when you walk into the room.

You are wearing royal robes. You are the boss. Now imagine taking that crown off your head, putting it on the table, and saying, I'm done. I'm going for a walk. That is the dramatic, fascinating life of today's saint, St. Richard.

St. Richard was born way back around the year 670. Now, usually, when we talk about saints from this time period, we are talking about monks, or priests, or nuns living in quiet monasteries. But Richard? He was a regular guy. Well, as regular as you can be when you are the ruler of the British Kingdom of Wessex.

We don't know every single detail of his life history, but he ruled his kingdom for roughly 35 years. That is a long time to be in charge. Richard wasn't just a king. He was a dad, and apparently, he was a really, really good dad. He married and had three children, and get this, their names were Willibald, Winnibald, and Walburga. Try saying those names five times fast. But the crazy part isn't their names. It's their future. All three of his children, Willibald, Winnibald and Walburga became saints.

That is an MVP parenting move right there. So, Richard rules for 35 years. He raises three future saints. He has the royal robes, the titles, the power. Most people would just retire and relax in the castle, right? Maybe pick up a hobby? Not Richard. After three and a half decades of ruling, he decided he wanted something more. He didn't want more power. He wanted more holiness. He wanted to live a more ascetic and holy life. Ascetic is a fancy word for living simply, denying yourself luxuries to focus on God.

So, he abdicated his throne. He quit being king so he could focus on being holy. He traded the crown for a walking stick. Richard decided to go on a massive pilgrimage to Rome, and he took two of his sons with him. Imagine that family road trip. No GPS, no hotels, just a former king and his future saint sons walking across Europe seeking God. However, this story has a tragic twist. Traveling back then wasn't like hopping on a plane today. It was dangerous and exhausting.

While they were on this pilgrimage, Richard was stricken with a fever. He never made it to Rome. He died around the year 725. His sons had to bury their father in the church of San Fridiano in the city of Lucca. But the story didn't end there. In fact, his legend was just getting started.

Even though he didn't finish his journey to Rome, he is honored as Richard the Pilgrim. During the Middle Ages, pilgrims started flocking to his tomb in that church in Lucca. They weren't just visiting a grave. They were seeking miracles. And according to the history, they found them. This king who gave up everything became a beacon for other travelers.

St. Richard's life gives us a massive challenge for our lives today. The challenge? Abdicate something. No, you can't quit school, but look at your life. What are you ruling over that is getting in the way of you being the person God wants you to be? Maybe you are the king of screen time, ruling over your phone for six hours a day. Maybe you are the queen of gossip, or maybe you are just holding on to a grudge like it's a treasure.

St. Richard ruled for 35 years. And then said, I can let this go to find something better. Today, you can do the same thing. Thank you for joining us on My Daily Saint. We look forward to sharing another incredible story of faith and courage with you tomorrow.