In this saint we celebrate the art of poetry. He was born in about 530 in Northern Italy but spent most of his life in France, after a visit to tile shrine of St Martin at Tours in 565. He settled in Poitiers, where he was to become Bishop, and acted as chaplain to the convent Or the Holy Cross whose foundress was the remarkable convert-Christian princess, Radegund. His spiritual advice to fellow Christians took the form of letters but not infrequently of poetry as well. In 569 a relic of the True Cross was received at Poitiers and this inspired St. Venantius to write some of his finest hymns: 'The royal banners forward go' and 'Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle' for Passiontide, and the processional 'Hail, festival day' for Easter. These hymns combine poetic beauty with great theological richness - something which can by no means be said of all hymns. He was a particular champion of the dignity of women, recognising the vital part they had played in sustaining Christian values in the times of barbarian invasions. He died in about 610.