Saint William of Æbelholt

William was born in Paris around 1125 and became a canon regular at the church of Sainte-Geneviève. He was known for his strict fidelity to the common life, which earned him opposition from less zealous brothers, and he became part of the reform that brought the community under the Rule of Saint Augustine.

Around 1165 Bishop Absalon of Roskilde invited him to Denmark to reform a community of canons on the island of Eskilsø. William accepted, though he had to learn a new language and face poverty, a harsh climate and resistance. He moved the community to Æbelholt in Zealand, where the abbey grew into a center of learning and charity, and he served the Danish Church faithfully for more than thirty years. He died on April 6, 1203, which that year was Easter Sunday, and was canonized in 1224.

William is remembered in Denmark and by the Canons Regular of Saint Augustine. The ruins of Æbelholt Abbey in North Zealand, now a museum, still recall the monastery he guided. He is a good patron for anyone who moves to a new country for work or mission.