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St Richard of Chichester, sculpture by Philip Jackson

I was waiting outside the classroom today when somebody walked past and breezily called “Bonne fête, Richard!” It wasn’t my birthday, so I was momentarily baffled until I realised that April 3rd is my saint’s day.

Last time I was in France in April nobody mentioned it. This time I even got a free beer from the manager in the caféteria at lunchtime. (Poor students – even MBA students – always appreciate offers of free beer).

A quick search on Google reveals that Saint Richard (1197-1253) was an English scholar and bishop. His biography has little in common with mine:  born into a gentry family, he spent his early life working as a labourer on his brother’s farm. Despite crushing poverty, he managed to study theology at Oxford, Paris and Bologna, (and even became chancellor of Oxford University). He lived in exile in France for a period with Edmund of Abingdon during the latter’s banishment. After his return to England, Richard’s nomination to the post of Bishop of Chichester caused a conflict between Henry III and the Pope.

As well as being the patron saint of Sussex, his deathbed prayer is remembered today, especially in the musical version used in Godspell:

Thanks be to Thee, my Lord Jesus Christ

Day by day.