3 But he to whom beyond others praise is certainly due, in that he nourished and cherished the faith in Bavaria, is St. Boniface, the Archbishop of Mayence, who also is celebrated in an undying and most trustworthy account as the father of Christian Germany, its Apostle and Martyr. He fulfilled the office of legate to the Roman Pontiffs Gregory the Second and Third, and Zachary, in whose favour he stood high, and in their name and by their authority he divided the country of Bavaria into dioceses, and thus, having constituted a regular hierarchy, handed on the faith which had been planted there to future generations. St. Gregory II, writing to Boniface himself, says: "The field of the Lord, which was lying waste, and had grown unfruitful through infidelity with the thorns of thistles, being tilled by the ploughshare of Thy doctrine, has received the seed of the word and brought forth an abundant harvest of faithfulness." ( Ep. xiii. ad Bonifacium - cfr. Labbeurm Collect . Conc. v., viii.) From that time the religion of the Bavarians remained safe and sure through all changes in civil affairs, although in course of time very sharply tried. For indeed there ensued those broils and contentions of the empire against the priesthood which were so bitter, enduring, and destructive; in these, however, there was more to rejoice than to sadden the Church in Bavaria. For with the most perfect unity they stood by Gregory XI, the lawful Pontiff, the unbridled violence of the contenders moving them to neither side, and in vain threatening them, and what was very trying, a long time afterwards, being in no way moved either by the power or attacks of the followers of Novatus, they always religiously observed the integrity of their faith and their ancient alliance with the Roman Church. Which courage and firmness of your fathers is to be the more lauded because this new sect had brought into subjection nearly all their neighbours. Indeed to the Bavarians who lived in those unhappy times are very applicable the words of merited praise contained in a letter to their rulers which the above named Gregory II. had addressed long before to the Catholics of Thuringia, who had been imbued with the Christian faith by St. Boniface. "Acknowledging the constancy of your firm faith in Christ, which is well known to Us, since when the pagans endeavoured to force you into an idolatrous worship, you replied in the fulness of your faith that you would rather die than violate that faith in Christ which you had once for all received; filled with all joy We give thanks as is right to our God and Redeemer, the Giver of all good things, by the assistance of Whose grace we desire to raise you to still better and greater things, that for the strengthening of the intention of your faith you may cleave with earnest minds to the Holy Apostolic See, and so far as the needs of our holy religion demand you may receive consolation from this Holy Apostolic See so well remembered by you as the spiritual mother of all the faithful, as indeed it is fitting that the joint heirs of a kingdom should receive from their royal parent. ( Ep. v. Ad optimates Thuring - cfe. Labbeum , ib .)
Source: Officio Sanctissimo (Vatican.va)