Saint Hubert. Patron Saint of Hunters

Born in 656 in what is now France, St. Hubert was the eldest son of the Duke of Aquitaine. Growing up as nobility, St. Hubert grew more and more interested in the popular pastime of the age: hunting. Also, since wars at the time were fought on horseback with bows and arrows as weapons, St. Hubert practiced his skills in order to achieve a level of mastery that would benefit him both as a hunter and as a soldier. As a young man, St. Hubert was handsome and athletic and spent most of his time seeking the pleasures and affirmations of the world.

St. Hubert was brought up in the Catholic Faith, and his mother prayed constantly that he would turn from his fascination with achievement and status to the ways of the Lord. It was not until, when at age 26, St. Hubert married a woman named Floribonne, that he would reconsider his motivations and passions. Floribonne was a devout woman whose influence rekindled in St. Hubert the faith that he had learned as a child. Sadly, though, shortly after the birth of their firstborn son, Floribert, Floribonne died. St. Hubert was crushed with grief.

In response to his wife’s death, St. Hubert felt great confusion and anger toward God. He abandoned the faith that she had helped him to rekindle and went back to a life obsessed with hunting and the accolades that came with it. One Good Friday, St. Hubert set out on horseback to hunt. He came upon a large group of people gathered for devotions in honor of the holy day. The priest asked St. Hubert to join them, but St. Hubert kept on his way, preferring hunting over prayer.

While in the woods, St. Hubert came upon a male deer with large antlers, looking right at him. As St. Hubert readied his bow and arrow to take the deer down, he noticed between the deer’s antlers was a crucifix, radiant with light. St. Hubert heard a voice telling him to turn his life over to God. He got down from his horse, knelt on the ground, and promised that he would follow the Lord’s command.

St. Hubert gave his birthright over to his younger brother, then made him guardian of his son. He set out in search of God’s will for his life. St. Hubert met a man, Lambert (who would become St. Lambert), who taught him to pray. St. Hubert was later ordained a priest. After Lambert’s death, St. Hubert was appointed bishop of the people. He was known of his dynamic preaching, and often used his skills with a bow and arrow to draw crowds to come listen to the Word of God. His sermons changed many hearts. Those who were Christians found themselves renewed in their devotion. Those who were pagans became Christians and in turn destroyed the idolatrous places of worship they had previously attended.

One day, in the year 726, St. Hubert had a vision of his own death while at prayer. A few days later, while reciting the “Our Father,” St. Hubert died. Devotion to him was popular during the Middle Ages, when several military orders were named after him.

St. Hubert’s feast day is November 3. This marks the official start to the hunting season in Europe. In some places, for the Mass on this day, organ music will be replaced with hunting horns. Hunters, along with their horses and dogs, will receive a special blessing. In Belgium, a special bread, called “St. Hubert’s Bread” is eaten. Later, hunters take to the forests in search of deer. In the evening the people may gather for a great feast consisting of fine foods, but featuring (of course) venison.

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