Today, September 2, is the memorial of Saint Solomon Leclercq.
His real name was Guillaume-Nicolas-Louis and he was the son of a wealthy French wine merchant. Though his father wanted him to pursue the family business, Nicolas discerned early the call to religious life.
In 1767, he entered the novitiate of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (De La Salle Brothers), and took the name Solomon.
His piety and deep prayer life inspired many to lead a Christian life. He was a teacher for years, and a witness of the French Revolution. He became director of novices, and was an active spiritual correspondent with his brothers and sisters.
Later, he became procurator in the Congregation’s motherhouse and then Secretary to the superior general of the order.
In the summer of 1792, Brother Solomon and many other priests and religious were imprisoned inside a Carmelite monastery in Paris. They were all martyred in the Carmelite garden, killed by the sword, as part of the suppression of Christianity of the French Revolution.
He was beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1926. He was canonized by Pope Francis in 2016.