Saint Willibrord. Troparium epternacense prov. de sacramentarium. Xe.
Maître du Registrum Gregorii:
miniature de saint Willibord, Paris, BN Lat. 10510
Saint Willibrord
Évêque
d'Utrecht (+ 739)
Originaire de l'Est de l'Angleterre, il fut confié par sa famille au monastère de Ripon dirigé alors par saint Wilfrid d'York. A vingt ans, il gagne en Irlande le monastère de 'l'île des saints'. En 690, on l'envoie évangéliser la Frise avec onze moines anglo-saxons. Il acquiert l'amitié du père de l'empereur Charlemagne, Pépin le Bref qu'il convertit et qui, à partir de ce jour, le soutiendra sans faillir. Fidèle à l'obéissance de l'Eglise, Willibrord se rend à Rome demander au Pape Serge 1er un mandat officiel pour prêcher l'Evangile.
Nommé évêque d'Utrecht, il fonde l'abbaye d'Echternach au Luxembourg (GoogleMaps) et c'est à partir de là qu'il accomplit des missions en Frise et au Danemark. Il revient à Echternach où il est enterré et vénéré par un pèlerinage dont la danse et la procession sont célèbres depuis le XIVe siècle et encore de nos jours. (Basilique Saint-Willibrord)
A lire aussi: Biographie de Saint Willibrord sur le site de 'L’œuvre
Saint-Willibrord' au Luxembourg.
Illustration: miniature du Maître du Registrum Gregorii.
Né en Angleterre, ordonné par le pape saint Serge Ier évêque d'Utrecht, il
annonça l'Évangile en Frise et en Danie, fonda des sièges épiscopaux et des
monastères et, accablé de travaux et usé par l'âge, il s'endormit dans le
Seigneur dans le monastère qu'il avait fondé.
Martyrologe romain
SOURCE : https://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/63/Saint-Willibrord.html
Saint Willibrord
Évêque
(658-738)
Saint Willibrord fut
annoncé à sa pieuse mère par une éclatante lumière qui lui apparut en songe.
Dès sa plus tendre enfance il fut placé, pour son éducation, dans un monastère
de l'Angleterre, son pays. Après de brillantes études, ordonné prêtre à trente-trois
ans, il sentit le feu du zèle dévorer son âme et résolut de porter l'Évangile
aux barbares du Nord. Il s'embarqua donc avec douze compagnons et aborda sur
les rivages du Rhin, au pays des Frisons. La conversion de ces peuples
farouches, commandés par des chefs cruels, présentait des difficultés
incroyables; aussi le zèle de l'ardent missionnaire ne fut-il ni toujours ni
partout couronné de succès. Plusieurs fois, Willibrord s'exposa au martyre en
combattant de front les superstitions des pays où il passait; mais son heure
n'était pas venue; Dieu le destinait à de plus longs travaux.
Il reçut la consécration
épiscopale des mains du Pape Sergius Ier, et revint travailler avec une
nouvelle ardeur à la conquête des âmes. Poussant ses missions plus avant vers
le nord, il eut le bonheur de gagner à Jésus-Christ la plus grande partie des
contrées connues depuis sous le nom de Zélande et de Hollande. Le don des
miracles ne contribua pas peu à ses succès. Dans une course apostolique, le
saint évêque et ses compagnons entrèrent, harassés de fatigue, dans la maison
d'un habitant du pays, qui fut très honoré de les recevoir, mais n'avait pas
une goutte de vin à leur offrir. Les missionnaires en avaient un peu: leur chef
le bénit, et quarante personnes purent satisfaire leur soif.
Une autre fois un païen,
lui voyant traverser sa propriété, lui adressa des injures; le lendemain, il
fut frappé d'une manière foudroyante par la main de Dieu. Tout pauvre qu'il
était, le Saint donnait toujours. Douze mendiants vinrent un jour lui tendre la
main; il n'avait qu'un petit flacon de vin, il les fit boire, et le flacon se
trouva plein comme auparavant. Ainsi Dieu favorisait l'oeuvre de Son serviteur.
Souvent, par l'eau bénite et le signe de la Croix, l'apôtre mettait en fuite l'ennemi
des âmes. Dieu lui donna un puissant auxiliaire en son compatriote Winfrid,
devenu saint Boniface. A sa mort, son tombeau, trop petit, s'allongea pour le
recevoir, et son corps exhala un délicieux parfum.
Abbé L. Jaud, Vie des Saints pour tous les jours de l'année, Tours, Mame, 1950
SOURCE : http://magnificat.ca/cal/fr/saints/saint_willibrord.html
Saint Willibrord. Peinture sur bois. Église Saint-Willibrord. Gravelines.
Flandres.
07 Novembre : Fête de Saint Willibrord, Évêque d'Echternach (658-739).
Fête au Luxembourg. Patron secondaire des Pays-Bas. Au Luxembourg : Fête
de Saint Willibrord, patron secondaire - lectures propres.
Solennité propre pour les Pays-Bas (Saint Patron de la Province de l'Église hollandaise).
Fête propre pour le Grand-Duché du Luxembourg.
Mémoire obligatoire pour le Royaume du Danemark.
Mémoire facultative propre pour l'Angleterre.
Mémoire facultative propre à l'Irlande.
Mémoire facultative propre à l'Allemagne.
Dessin
du diacre Pol Hommes, monastère de Pervijze
Saint Willibrord
Saint Willibrord naquit
en Northumbrie en 658 de parents récemment convertis au christianisme. Son père
Wilgils remit le jeune enfant comme oblat au monastère de Ripon et se retira
comme ermite sur le promontoire du fleuve Humber. Willibrord grandit sous
l’influence de St Wilfrid, évêque d’York, qui avait réussi à imposer le respect
des traditions romaines vis-à-vis du particularisme insulaire. A l’âge de 20
ans, Willibrord passa à Rathmelsigi en Irlande, «l’île des saints», pour
s’astreindre, sous l’autorité de son maître Egbert, à une dure ascèse avant de
recevoir l’ordination sacerdotale en 688. Imprégné du goût de la
«peregrinatio», cette mystique qui préconisait le renoncement à la patrie
terrestre pour aller prêcher l’Évangile aux populations païennes, Willibrord
partit en 690 sur le continent avec 11 compagnons pour évangéliser les Frisons,
peuple assez rebelle jusque là à toute conversion.
A l’opposé des tentatives
sporadiques des moines iro-scotiques, Willibrord aborda son entreprise avec un
très grand pragmatisme en cherchant d’abord la protection de Pépin II qui avait
réussi à refouler le roi des Frisons Radbod au-delà du Rhin. De plus, il
entendait agir en étroit contact avec l’autorité papale de Rome. Voilà pourquoi
il entreprit par deux fois le voyage pénible à Rome où, en 695, il fut sacré
archevêque d’Utrecht par le pape Serge Ier. Comme la noblesse franque, sur
l’instigation des Pippinides, voulut encourager le jeune missionnaire dans son
entreprise, elle le combla de riches donations qui lui permirent de fonder des
églises et des monastères. En 698, Irmine, abbesse d’un couvent à Oeren/Trèves,
mère de Plectrude, épouse de Pépin II, fit don à Willibrord de la moitié d’une
propriété à Echternach, donation complétée par celle de l’autre moitié
appartenant à Pépin II, ce qui permit à Willibrord d’y fonder une abbaye. C’est
de là qu’il partit pour annoncer l’Évangile dans la Frise non soumise encore,
même au Danemark et en Thuringue. Il dut essuyer bien des revers jusqu’au
moment où Charles Martel eut écrasé Radbod, l’adversaire farouche opposé à toute
christianisation. En 719, Willibrord fut rejoint par Winfrid, plus connu sous
le nom de Boniface, qui resta presque 3 ans auprès de lui avant de partir
annoncer l’Évangile en Germanie.
La fin de la vie de St
Willibrord est moins connue. Avant de mourir à l’âge très exceptionnel pour
l’époque de 81 ans, il avait réglé ses affaires en répartissant son immense
patrimoine foncier. Au moment de fêter son 70e anniversaire, il avait inscrit
en marge de son calendrier les principales étapes de sa vie missionnaire pour
conclure par la formule «in dei nomine feliciter» où se lit toute sa confiance
reconnaissante en Dieu. Il mourut le 7 novembre 739 à l’abbaye d’Echternach où
il fut enterré selon son désir.
Assez tôt après sa mort,
son tombeau fut fréquenté par des pèlerins de plus en plus nombreux, de sorte
que la petite église mérovingienne dut être remplacée vers l’année 800 par une
église à trois nefs d’une longueur de plus de 60 mètres. Les biographies rédigées
par Alcuin vers la même époque et par l’abbé Thiofrid trois siècles plus tard
répandirent par leurs légendes et leurs récits de miracles nombreux la renommée
du saint dans les églises et les monastères de l’Europe cisalpine.
Les fontaines dites de Saint Willibrord qui jalonnent la route du missionnaire et témoignent de son activité baptismale furent l’objet de la vénération du peuple chrétien qui cherchait la guérison de certaines maladies nerveuses constatées en particulier chez les enfants. Un grand nombre d’églises, surtout dans les paroisses belges, néerlandaises ou rhénanes dépendant autrefois de l’abbaye d’Echternach conservent le patronage du saint. Leur attachement s’exprime par des pèlerinages faits à Echternach sur la tombe du saint et surtout lors de la Procession dansante, phénomène religieux extraordinaire dont l’origine assez mystérieuse remonte très loin dans le temps et qui a survécu jusqu’à notre époque. Elle se célèbre chaque année avec ferveur le Mardi de la Pentecôte et attire des milliers de participants et autant de spectateurs pour honorer la mémoire de ce saint d’envergure européenne qu’on appelle souvent l’Apôtre du BENELUX.
SOURCE : http://www.willibrord.lu/2/St-Willibrord,28/Saint-Willibrord-Biographie
Willibord d’Utrecht
Premier évêque d’Utrecht, Saint
ca. 658-738
Saint Willibrord naquit
vers l'an 658, dans le royaume de Northumberland. Il n'avait point encore sept
ans, lorsqu'on l'envoya dans le monastère de Rippon, gouverné alors par
saint Wilfrid, qui en était le fondateur.
Son père se nommait
Wilgis, et vivait dans une grande piété. Il quitta le monde pour embrasser
l'état monastique, et se fit depuis ermite. Dans sa vieillesse, il prit la
conduite d'une petite communauté qu'il avait fondée entre l'Océan et l'Humber.
On l'honore parmi les Saints dans le monastère d’Epternac, au diocèse de
Trêves, et il est nommé dans les calendriers anglais. Alcuin a donné sa vie.
Willibrord, en
s'accoutumant de bonne heure à porter le joug du Seigneur, le trouva toujours
depuis doux et léger. Pour mieux conserver les fruits de l'éducation qu'il
avait reçue, il prit l'habit à Rippon, étant encore fort jeune. Les progrès
qu'il fit dans la vertu et dans les sciences furent également rapides. A l'âge
de vingt ans, il obtint la permission de passer en Irlande, dans l'espérance
d'y trouver encore plus de facilité pour se perfectionner dans les voies de la
piété. Il se joignit à saint Egbert, ou Ecgbright, et au B. Wigbert, que le
même dessein y avait attirés. Il passa douze ans avec eux. Malgré la faiblesse
de sa constitution, il surpassait ses compagnons par sa ferveur et sa fidélité
aux devoirs qu'il avait à remplir. On ne se lassait point d'admirer son
humilité, sa modestie, son affabilité, la douceur et l'égalité de son
caractère.
Saint Egbert désirait
depuis longtemps de prêcher l'Evangile aux idolâtres, à ceux surtout qui
habitaient la Frise ; mais on le fit renoncer à ce projet, et on lui conseilla
d'aller exercer son zèle apostolique dans les îles situées entre l'Irlande et
l'Ecosse. Il y établit la vraie manière de célébrer la Pâque, et mourut dans
celle d'Hii, peu de temps avant que Bédé entreprit d'écrire son histoire. Il
est nommé dans les calendriers anglais, sous le 24 Avril. On trouve dans Bédé
le récit édifiant de ses austérités et des actions que son zèle et sa charité
lui inspirèrent. Pendant qu'Egbert travaillait à la gloire de Dieu, dans les
lies, Wigbert annonçait Jésus-Christ dans la Frise. Il en revint après y avoir
passé deux ans, sans que ses travaux eussent été suivis d'un grand succès.
Egbert et ceux qui s'intéressaient à cette mission, ne se découragèrent point
; ils prièrent avec une nouvelle ferveur, pour obtenir la conversion de tant
d'âmes qui étaient menacées d'un malheur éternel. Willibrord, qui venait d'être
ordonné prêtre, et qui était âgé d'environ trente ans, témoigna un désir ardent
de passer dans la Frise, et il en demanda la permission à ses supérieurs.
Egbert, qui connaissait sa ferveur, son zèle et ses talents, ne douta point que
ce désir ne vînt du Ciel ; il acquiesça donc à sa demande, en l'exhortant h mettre
en Dieu sa confiance. Saint Swidbert et dix autres moines anglais se joignirent
à saint Willibrord. Les Frisons habitaient anciennement une vaste étendue de
pays sur les côtes de l'Océan germanique. Etant entrés dans la Gaule Belgique,
ils s'emparèrent des provinces situées vers l'embouchure du Rhin, dont les
Cattes, aussi Germains d'origine, étaient alors les maîtres[1]. Parmi les peuples de la Germanie,
aucun ne sut si bien maintenir sa liberté contre les Romains, que les Frisons.
Suivant Procope, ils vinrent dans la Grande-Bretagne avec les Anglo-Saxons, et
la situation de leur pays ne permet pas de douter qu'ils ne fussent de bons
marins. On lit dans saint Ludger, que Swidbert et les autres missionnaires qui
l'accompagnaient, désirèrent, de préférence, de porter la lumière de la foi à
ces peuples, parce que leurs ancêtres descendaient d'eux.
Saint Eloi, évêque de
Noyon, avait prêché Jésus Christ dans une partie de la Frise. L'Evangile leur
avait été aussi annoncé par saint Wilfrid, en 678 ; mais ces premières
tentatives avaient produit peu de fruit ; en sorte que le vrai Dieu était
presque entièrement inconnu dans la Frise, lorsque saint Willibrord y arriva en
690 ou 691. Il paraît certain que nos douze missionnaires abordèrent à Catwick,
qui était à l'ancienne embouchure du Rhin[2].
Willibrord crut devoir
faire un voyage à Rome, pour demander au Pape Sergius sa bénédiction
apostolique, et une autorisation pour prêcher l'Evangile aux nations idolâtres. Le
Souverain-Pontife, connaissant son zèle et sa sainteté, lui accorda les plus
amples pouvoirs, et lui donna des reliques pour la consécration des églises
qu'on ferait bâtir. Il repartit le plus tôt qu'il lui fut possible, tant il
désirait gagner à Jésus-Christ cette multitude d'âmes qui étaient sous la
puissance du démon.
Swidbert fut spécialement
chargé de la conversion des Boructuaires, et en devint l'évêque. Il paraît que
ce peuple hab1tait le territoire de Berg, une partie de celui de la Marck, et
le pays voisin, du côté de Cologne.
Willibrord et les dix
autres missionnaires prêchèrent la foi, avec le plus grand succès, dans cette
partie de la Frise, qui appartenait aux Français. Le nombre des chrétiens était
si considérable au bout de six ans, que Pépin, de l'avis des autres évêques,
envoya Willibrord à Rome, avec des lettres de recommandation pour le Pape, qui
était instamment prié de l'honorer du caractère épiscopal. Inutilement le Saint
voulut faire tomber sur un autre cette dignité; on n'eut aucun égard à ses
représentations. Le Pape Sergius le reçut avec de grandes marques
d'honneur, changea son nom en celui de Clément, et le sacra archevêque des
Frisons, dans l'église de Saint-Pierre. Il lui donna aussi le pallium, avec
le pouvoir de fixer son siège en tel lieu du pays qu'il jugerait le plus
convenable. Le Saint, après avoir passé quatorze jours î1 Rome, revint dans la
Frise, et fixa sa résidence à Utrecht. Pépin lui fit présent du château royal
du Viltaburg. Le saint archevêque bâtit à Utrecht l'église du Sauveur, dont il
fit sou siège métropolitain. Il répara aussi celle de Saint-Martin, que les
païens avaient presqu'entièrement détruite. On pense qu'elle avait été
construite par le Roi Dagobert, à la prière de saint "Wilfrid. Elle devint
depuis cathédrale d'Utrecht, et fut desservie par des chanoines.
L'onction épiscopale
sembla donner encore plus de force et d'activité au zèle de Willibrord. Deux
ans après son sacre, c'est-à-dire, en 698, les libéralités de Pepin et de
l'abbesse Irmine, le mirent en état de fonder l'abbaye d'Epternac, qu'il
gouverna jusqu'à sa mort. Elle est dans le diocèse et à deux lieues de Trèves,
et présentement dans le duché de Luxembourg. Le monastère de Horrea, dont
Irmine, qu'on croit avoir été fille de Dagobert II, était abbesse, fut, au
rapport d'Alcuin, miraculeusement délivré de la peste par saint Willibrord.
Pépin de Héristal avait
beaucoup de vénération pour le saint Apôtre de la Frise. Avant sa mort, il
renvoya Alpaïs, sa concubine, dont il avait eu Charles Martel, et se réconcilia
avec Plectrude, sa femme. Dans son testament, qu'il signa avec Plectrude, sa
femme, il recommanda ses neveux à saint Willibrord, sans faire mention de
Charles, son fils naturel. Il donna en même temps au Saint le village de
Swestram, aujourd'hui Susteren, dans le duché de Juliers, à une lieue de la Meuse,
lequel servit à doter un monastère de religieuses qui fut bâti en ce lieu.
Ce fut au mois de
Décembre 714, que mourut Pépin de Héristal. Pépin-le-Bref, fils de Charles
Martel, et qui fut depuis Roi de France, était né quelque temps auparavant. Il
reçut le baptême des mains de saint Willibrord, qui, suivant Alcuin, prophétisa
en cette occasion, en annonçant que cet enfant surpasserait en gloire tous ses
ancêtres. Charles Martel devint bientôt maire du palais, et fut le premier
guerrier et le plus grand homme d'état de son siècle. En 723, il donna les
revenus dépendants du château d'Utrecht, au monastère que saint Willibrord y
avait fondé, et dont il voulait faire sa cathédrale. Saint Grégoire fut depuis
abbé de ce monastère, qu'on sécularisa dans la suite des temps. Charles Martel
fit plusieurs autres donations à diverses églises fondées par le saint
archevêque. Il lui abandonna la souveraineté de la ville d'Utrecht, avec ses
dépendances et ses appartenances. Dans tous ces établissements, Willibrord ne se
proposait que d'affermir et de perpétuer l'œuvre de Dieu.
Non content d'avoir
planté la foi dans la partie de la Frise, dont les Français avaient fait la
conquête, il pénétra dans celle qui obéissait à Radbod, prince ou Roi des
Frisons. Radbod était toujours opiniâtrement attaché à l'idolâtrie. Il
n'empêcha cependant point le Saint d'instruire ses sujets, et il venait
quelquefois lui-même l'entendre.
Willibrord passa dans le
Danemark ; mais Ongend, qui y régnait alors, était un prince méchant et cruel ;
et son exemple, qui avait beaucoup d'influence sur ses sujets, mettait un
obstacle presque invincible à leur conversion. Le Saint se contenta d'acheter
trente enfants du pays, qu'il baptisa après les avoir instruits, et qu'il amena
avec lui.
En revenant, il fut
assailli d'une tempête qui le jeta dans l'île appelée Fositeland, aujourd'hui
Amelandt, sur la côte de la Frise, au nord. Les Danois et les Frisons
révéraient singulièrement cette île, qui était consacrée à leur dieu Fosite.
Ils auraient regardé comme impie et sacrilège, quiconque aurait osé tuer les
animaux qui y vivaient , manger quelque chose de ce qu'elle produisait, ou
parler, en puisant de l'eau à une fontaine qui y était. Le Saint, touché de
leur aveuglement, voulut les détromper d'une superstition aussi grossière. Il
fit tuer quelques animaux, que lui et ses compagnons mangèrent, et il baptisa
trois enfants dans la fontaine, en prononçant a haute vois les paroles
prescrites par l'Eglise. Les païens s'attendaient qu'ils allaient être punis de
mort ; mais voyant qu'il ne leur arrivait rien, ils ne savaient si c'était
patience ou défaut de pouvoir de la part de leur dieu. Radbod fut transporté de
fureur, quand il apprit ce qui s'était passé. Il ordonna de tirer au sort trois
jours de suite, et trois fois chaque jour, dans le dessein de faire périr celui
sur lequel il tomberait. Dieu permit qu'il ne tombât point sur Willibrord ;
mais un de ses compagnons fut sacrifié à la superstition, et mourut martyr de
Jésus-Christ.
Le Saint ayant quitté
Radbod, se rendit dans une des principales îles qui dépendent de la Zélande;
c'était Walcheren; il y fit un grand nombre de conversions , et y établit
plusieurs églises.
La mort de Radbod ,
arrivée en 719 , lui laissa la liberté de prêcher dans toute la Frise. En 720,
il fut joint par saint Boniface, qui passa trois ans avec lui avant d'aller en
Allemagne. Bédé , qui écrivit alors son histoire , parle ainsi de notre Saint
(19): « Willibrord, surnommé Clément, est encore vivant, c'est un
vénérable vieillard, évêque depuis trente-six ans, qui attend les récompenses
de la vie céleste , après avoir généreusement combattu dans la guerre
spirituelle. » II avait, suivant Alcuin, une figure agréable et pleine de
dignité. Il était doux et toujours gai dans la conversation, sage dans ses
conseils, infatigable dans les fonctions apostoliques , et en même temps
attentif à nourrir et à fortifier son âme par la prière, le chant des psaumes,
les veilles et le jeûne. Le même auteur, qui écrivait environ cinquante ans
après la mort du Saint, assure qu'il fut doué du don des miracles. Il rapporte
entre autres le suivant. Lorsque Willibrord prêchait dans l'île de Walcheren,
où l'on a depuis bâti les villes de Flessingue et de Middelburg, il trouva dans
un village une idole fameuse, à laquelle le peuple offrait des vœux et des
sacrifices. Transporté de zèle, il la renversa et la mit en pièces. Le prêtre
de l'idole lui déchargea un coup de sabre qui ne lui fit aucune blessure. Ce
malheureux fut bientôt après possédé du démon, et réduit dans l'état le plus
déplorable.
Willibrord et ses
compagnons , par leurs larmes, leurs prières et leur zèle, détruisirent le
paganisme dans la plus grande partie de la Zélande et de la Hollande, et dans
tous les lieux des Pays-Bas , où saint Amand et saint Lebwin n'avaient jamais
pénétré. Quant aux Frisons , qui avaient été jusque-là un peuple barbare , ils
se civilisèrent peu à peu, et devinrent célèbres par leurs vertus, ainsi que
par la culture des arts et des sciences. Saint Wulfran , archevêque de Sens , et
d'autres ouvriers évangéliques , frappés de tant de succès , prièrent saint
Willibrord de les associer aux travaux de ses missions.
Noire Saint choisissait
avec beaucoup de soin ceux qu'il destinait à recevoir les ordres sacrés : il
craignait que d'indignes ministres ne détruisissent tout le bien que la
miséricorde divine avait opéré pour le salut des âmes. Il était aussi fort
exact à s'assurer des dispositions de ceux qu'il admettait au baptême, afin de
ne pas exposer nos augustes mystères à la profanation. Pour bannir l'ignorance,
et faciliter la propagation de l'Evangile , en éclairant les esprits et en
adoucissant les mœurs , il établit à Utrecht des écoles qui devinrent fort célèbres.
Enfin Willibrord se
voyant parvenu à un âge fort avancé, prit un coadjuteur qu'il sacra évêque,
pour le charger du gouvernement de son diocèse, et se prépara dans la retraite
au passage de l'éternité. Il mourut, suivant l'opinion la plus probable, en
738. Alcuin et Raban mettent sa mort le 6 Novembre ; mais il est nommé le 7 de
ce mois dans les martyrologes d'Usuard et d'Adon, dans le romain, et dans celui
des Bénédictins. II fut enterré, comme il l'avait désiré, dans le nouveau
monastère d'Epternac, et on y gardait ses reliques dans une châsse. On voit à
Trêves, dans l'abbaye de Notre-Dame ad martyres, l'autel portatif
dont le Saint faisait usage pour la célébration des saints Mystères dans ses
missions de Frise , de Zélande et de Hollande. Divers auteurs ont publié le
testament de saint Willibrord, en faveur du monastère d'Epternac.
Un vrai pasteur, s'il a
de la ferveur et du zèle , ne reste point dans l'inaction, tant qu'il peut
consoler, instruire, exhorter, pleurer et prier pour les âmes confiées à ses
soins , et qui sont sans cesse exposées au danger de se perdre éternellement. Il
sait mettre de l'ordre dans sa conduite pour suffire à tout, et il remplit tous
ses devoirs avec plus de facilité qu'on ne pourrait d'abord l'imaginer. Nous
pouvons tous nous convaincre de cette vérité par l'expérience. Sans être
pasteurs , nous avons une multitude d'obligations à remplir par rapport au
prochain et par rapport à nous-mêmes ; en sorte que tous nos moments doivent
avoir une destination particulière. Ce serait une illusion dangereuse que de
penser autrement. Il faut donc satisfaire à ces différentes obligations. Le
temps ne nous manquera point ; il est seulement à craindre que nous le
perdions, soit par lâcheté, soit par défaut d'ordre dans notre conduite, et de
règlement dans nos actions.
SOURCE : Alban
Butler : Vie des Pères, Martyrs et autres principaux Saints… – Traduction :
Jean-François Godescard.
[1] Les Romains regardaient les Cattes, et surtout les Bataves qui en faisaient partie , comme le peuple le plus courageux de la Germanie. Ils s'étaient établis dans Pile située entre les branches du Rhin. Ils se firent depuis un autre établissement parmi les Belges; mais l'arrivée des Frisons leur fit perdre leur nom, et on ne le trouve plus que dans deux villages appelés Catwick.
[2] C'était là où les Anglais débarquaient
pour leur commerce. Il y avait un château appelé Turin Britannica, que
les Romains avaient fait bâtir pour défendre le port.
SOURCE : http://nouvl.evangelisation.free.fr/willibord_dutrecht.htm
Tomba
del santo nella chiesa dell'abbazia di Echternach
7 novembre. Saint
Willibrord, apôtre de la Frise, de la Zélande, de la Flandre et du Brabant.
738.
- Saint Willibrord,
apôtre de la Frise, de la Zélande, de la Flandre et du Brabant. 738.
Pape : Saint
Grégoire III. Roi des Francs : Thierry IV.
" C'est à la moisson
qu'ils savent faire des âmes que l'on juge de la vertu des prédicateurs."
Saint Grégoire le Grand.
Né en Northumbrie,
Angleterre, 658 ; mort à Echternach, Luxembourg, 739. Son nom indique qu'il est
de lignée Saxonne (Willi est une grande divinité de la mythologie nordique
; brord indique " sous la protection de ").
Willibrord, premier archevêque d'Utrecht, est un des missionnaires envoyés par
les Chrétiens Anglo-saxons un siècle après qu'ils aient eux-même été
christianisés par des missionnaires dans le Sud et l'Est de l'Angleterre, venus
de Rome et du Continent, et par le nord et l'ouest via les peuples Celtiques
d’Écosse, Irlande et Pays de Galles.
Notre information sur Willibrord provient de Bède le Vénérable (Histoire de
l'Eglise et du peuple Anglais, 5, 10-11.) et d'une biographie de son jeune
parent, le bienheureux Alcuin, ministre de l'éducation sous l'empereur
Charlemagne. Willibrord naquit en Northumbrie vers 658, et étudia en France et
en Irlande.
Bien que leur nom de famille était clairement païen, ses parents étaient
Chrétiens. Le père de Willibrord était un si pieux Chrétien qu'à ses frais, il
fonda un petit monastère près de la mer et partit y vivre.
Comme beaucoup d'enfants
de l'époque, à 7 ans, Willibrord fut envoyé dans un autre monastère, à Ripon,
pour y être éduqué sous saint Wilfrid. (La Règle de saint Benoît parle d'oblats
offerts au monastère par leurs parents. La mère de Willibrord était soit morte,
soit avait pris le voile.
A cette époque, les moines interprétaient fort librement leur vœu d'attachement
à une communauté, et nombre d'entre eux partaient complèter leur éducation en
Irlande, si célèbre pour son érudition. Durant 12 ans, Willibrord étudia à
Rathmelsigi sous les Saints Egbert et Wigbert, et y fut ordonné prêtre en 688.
C'est à Rathmelsigi que commence la véritable histoire de Willibrord, car
Egbert avait un but favori qu'il partageait avec nombre de ses moines. Il
planifiait d'envoyer des missionnaires sur le Continent, et en particulier
auprès des païens Germains en Frise. C'était une excellente opportunité pour
gagner un peuple entier à Dieu, et aussi pour gagner la couronne du martyr.
Willibrord, âgé de 32 ans, fut choisit par Egbert pour diriger 11 autres moines
Anglais, par delà la Mer du Nord jusqu'en Frise.
On décrit Willibrord
comme plus petit que la moyenne et joyeux. Il apprenait vite une langue, avait
bonne éducation, soif d'aventure, et un grand sens de l'humour. Et surtout,
Foi, espérance et charité.
A l'automne 690, les 12 arrivèrent à Katwijk-aan-Zee, à l'une des embouchures
du Rhin. De là ils suivirent le fleuve jusque Wij-bij Durstede (Hollande), et
cherchèrent Pépin II d'Herstal, maire du palais de Clovis II, roi des Francs.
Pépin venait juste d'arracher la Basse Frise au duc païen Radbod, considéré
comme un ours sauvage, qui régnait en tyran sur des étendues de boues
sablonneuses et empoisonnait ses ennemis.
A peine avait-il rencontré Pépin et reçut son soutien pour la conversion des
Frisons, qu'il partit pour Rome afin de demander conseil au pape Serge Ier, et
recevoir ses ordres pour la mission. Avant son départ, il fut consacré pour
cette oeuvre par ce pape.
Pour sa seconde visite à Rome, en 695, Willibrord arriva à convaincre le pape
Serge II que la jeune mission avait besoin d'un évêque indépendant tant de York
que de Pépin II ; et Serge, pour sa part, réalisa que la seule personne capable
de remplir une telle tâche, qui nécessitait autant de tact que d'énergie, était
Willibrord.
Et c'est ainsi qu'il fut
consacré archevêque le 22 novembre - le jour de la fête de sainte Cécile, dans
l'église Sainte-Cécile. Probablement parce qu'un Sicilien ne parvenait pas à
prononcer convenablement " Willibrord ", Serge insista pour changer
le nom du saint en " Clément ", un choix qui pourrait avoir été
influencé par la douceur flegmatique de l'Anglois. Serge le renvoya dans son
troupeau, avec quelques reliques et le titre d'archevêque des Frisons.
De retour dans ses brumes nordiques, Clément-Willibrord, qui utilisait rarement
son nom latin, créa son siège à Utrecht. Ainsi, il inaugura une colonie
anglaise en Europe continentale, qui eut une forte influence religieuse durant
100 ans.
Au contraire des évêchés modernes, remplis d'administrateurs et d'équipement,
l'archiépiscopat de Willibrord était vivant. Il était sans arrêt en chemin,
comme ses moines missionnaires, prêchant de village en village.
Progressivement, il fonda dans chaque hameau une paroisse, avec son propre
prêtre et les liturgies illuminées par l'esprit Bénédictin. Willibrord et saint
Boniface de Crediton furent ensemble responsables de l'institution de
chorepiscopi, " évêques régionnaires ", dans cette partie de l'Europe
occidentale, afin de les aider dans leur travail.
Willibrord était adroit pour traiter avec les puissants du lieu, qui avaient
les terres, l'argent et la puissance nécessaire pour soutenir son œuvre. Il
utilisa ces grands, en fit des serviteurs de l’Évangile, mais ne leur fut
jamais subordonné, ni prêt à donner sa bénédiction pour leurs folies. Il obtint
d'eux de grandes étendues de terres qu'il transforma en villages et paroisses,
comme Alphen dans le nord Brabant. Avec leur argent, il fonda des monastères
qui servirent de centres d'illumination intellectuelle et religieuse.
Willibrord était
apparemment opposé au travail des Culdees, qu'il rencontra.
Vers 700, il fonda un
second important centre missionnaire, à Echternach, sur les bords de la Sure,
dans l'actuelle jonction entre le Grand-Duché de Luxembourg et l'Allemagne. Il
continua à évangéliser, en particulier la zone nord des pays de l'actuel
Benelux, bien qu'il semble qu'il aie aussi exploré le Danemark et peut-être la
Thuringe (Haute Frise). Un jour, il faillit mourir en mission - il fut attaqué
par un prêtre païen à Walcheren, pour avoir détruit une idole.
C'est en 714 que Willibrord
baptisa Charles Martel, le fils de Pépin le Bref.
Durant la période 715-719, Willibrord expérimenta des revers durant la révolte
des Frisons contre les Francs. A la mort de Pépin 2, le 16 décembre 714, le duc
Radbod, qui lui avait fait allégeance mais n'avait jamais été convertit,
envahit les territoires qu'il avait perdus contre Pépin d'Herstal. Il massacra,
pilla, brûla et vola tout ce qu'il put trouver portant la marque Chrétienne.
Mais bien vite, la
querelle de succession interne à la famille de Pépin ayant été résolue par
l'habileté de Charlemagne, Radbod et ses alliés de Neustrie furent battus par
Charlemagne et ses Austrasiens, dans la forêt de Compiègne, le 26 septembre
715. Il y aura encore d'autres soulèvements jusqu'à la mort de Radbod en 719,
mais Willibrord et ses missionnaires seront à même de réparer les dégâts et de
renouveler leur œuvre. Vers 719, Boniface les rejoignit et travailla avec eux
en Frise durant 3 ans, avant de partir pour la Germanie.
La réussite missionnaire de Willibrord ne fut pas spectaculaire - la rapidité
et le nombre des conversions ont été exagérées par les auteurs postérieurs -
mais ce furent de solides fondations posées ; " sa charité était
manifeste dans son incessant travail quotidien pour l'amour du Christ " (Alcuin).
On l'appelle l'Apôtre des Frisons.
Il mourut alors qu'il faisait retraite à Echternach, le 7 novembre 739. Son
maigre corps fut placé dans un sarcophage de pierre, que l'on peut toujours y
voir.
Durant le début du VIIIe siècle, un moine d'Echternarch composa un calendrier
des saints, dont nombre étaient en relation avec les passages de la vie de
Willibrord. Le Calendrier de saint Willibrord est à présent à la Bibliothèque
Nationale à Paris, manuscrit latin ms. 10.837, et est du plus haut intérêt pour
les étudiants en hagiographie ; à la date du 21 novembre 728 (folio 39) on
trouve plusieurs lignes autobiographiques rédigées par Willibrord en personne,
donnant les dates de son arrivée en France et son ordination comme évêque.
(Attwater, Delaney, Encyclopaedia, Grieve, Verbist).
Dans l'art, l'emblème de Saint Willibrord est un tonneau sur lequel il pose sa croix. L'abbaye d'Echternach est derrière lui, et il est vêtu de la tenue épiscopale. On trouve aussi les variantes suivantes :
1. en tenue épiscopale, il pose sa croix sur une source, avec un tonneau, 4 flacons, et l'abbaye en arrière-plan ;
2. évêque portant un enfant, ou avec un enfant à proximité ;
3. évêque avec la cathédrale d'Utrecht derrière lui ;
4. en moine, avec un bateau et un arbre.
On l'invoque contre les convulsions et l'épilepsie (Roeder).
SOURCE : https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/5408295391443355751/6304605423421840344
Icône de Saint Willibrord, Évêque d’Utrecht. http://www.stwillibrord.org/name.html
St Willibrord (658-739)
" Pendant cinquante
ans, écrit Alcuin, ce grand missionnaire et grand ami du Christ se
dévoua, jour après jour, à la conversion des infidèles. " En 690,
alors que Pépin d'Herstal achevait la conquête de la Frise, Willibrord y
arriva, venant d'Irlande, à la tête d'un groupe de moines anglo-saxons. En 695,
le pape Serge le sacra évêque d'Utrecht. Cinq ou six ans plus tard, Willibrord
fonda le monastère d'Echternach. C'était d'Utrecht et d'Echternach que ses
missionnaires partaient pour aller évangéliser les populations rhénanes encore
païennes. St Willibrord poussa jusqu'au Danemark et même, semble-t-il, jusqu'en
Thuringe, Ce fut lui qui baptisa Pépin le Bref, père de Charlemagne. Il fut
inhumé à Echternach où chaque année, depuis le XIVe siècle, le mardi de la
Pentecôte, une procession dansante, unique en son genre (cinq pas en avant,
trois en arrière), se déroule en son honneur.
SOURCE : http://www.peintre-icones.fr/PAGES/CALENDRIER/Novembre/7.html
Saint Willibrord of
Echternach
Also
known as
Clement of Echternach
Apostle of the Frisians
Willibrordus
Wilbrod
Villibrodo
Profile
Son of Saint Hilgis. Educated at Ripon, England and
in Ireland under Saint Egbert. Missionary to Friesland and Luxembourg with Saint Swithbert. Benedictine monk.
Founding bishop of Utrecht, Netherlands in 695,
ordained by Pope Saint Sergius
I. Worked with Saint Boniface, Saint Rumold, Saint Werenfridus, Saint Engelmund,
and Saint Adalbert
of Egmond. Founded monasteries.
Born
658 at Northumbria, England
7
November 739 of
natural causes in one of the monasteries he
founded
relics at Echternach, Luxembourg and
in the Cathedral of
Saint Catherine in Utrecht, Netherlands
Netherlands (proclaimed
on 29
November 1950 by Pope Pius
XII)
in Belgium
in England
in the Netherlands
Utrecht, archdiocese of
Utrecht,
city of
cleric dipping his staff into
a cask
Additional
Information
Book
of Saints, by the Monks of
Ramsgate
Catholic
World: The Dancing Procession of Echternach
Life
of Willibrord, by Alcuin
Lives
of the Saints, by Father Alban
Butler
Patron Saints and Their
Feast Days, by the Australian Catholic Truth Society
Saints
of the Day, by Katherine Rabenstein
Short
Lives of the Saints, by Eleanor Cecilia Donnelly
books
1001 Patron Saints and Their Feast Days, by Australian
Catholic Truth Society
Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
Oxford Dictionary of Saints, by David Hugh Farmer
Saints
and Their Attributes, by Helen Roeder
other
sites in english
Gallery
of Reconstructed Portraits
Little
Pictorial Lives of the Saints
images
Wikimedia Commons: Saint Willibrord
Wikimedia Commons: Tomb of Saint Willibrord
video
sitios
en español
Martirologio Romano, 2001 edición
sites
en français
fonti
in italiano
MLA
Citation
“Saint Willibrord of
Echternach“. CatholicSaints.Info. 25 April 2024. Web. 12 January 2026.
<https://catholicsaints.info/saint-willibrord-of-echternach/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/saint-willibrord-of-echternach/
(Saint) Bishop (November
7) (8th
century) A Northumbrian Saint,
a missionary in
the present Holland and Belgium,
and the Founder of the Archbishopric of Utrecht.
He died A.D. 732.
MLA
Citation
Monks of Ramsgate.
“Willibrord”. Book of Saints, 1921. CatholicSaints.Info.
6 November 2016. Web. 13 January 2026.
<https://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-willibrord/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-willibrord/
St. Willibrord
Feastday: November 7
Patron: of convulsions; epilepsy; epileptics; Luxembourg; Netherlands; archdiocese of Utrecht, Netherlands
Birth: 658
Death: 739
Apostle of the Frisians,
missionary bishop, and founder of Echternach. St. Willibrord was born in
Northumbria around 658. As a young man he entered the monastery of Ripon under
St. Wilfrid, and later traveled to Ireland, where he spent twelve formative
years at Rath Melsigi, an important Anglo-Saxon monastic settlement, located in
what is now the townland of Clonmelsh, County Carlow. There he trained under
Sts. Egbert and Wigbert and received a thorough spiritual and missionary
education.
Around 690, Willibrord
set out with twelve companions to evangelize the Frisians in what is now the
Netherlands. Wishing to ground his work in ecclesial authority, he journeyed to
Rome, where Pope Sergius I approved his mission. On a second visit in 695, the
pope consecrated him archbishop to the Frisians, establishing his see at
Utrecht.
Willibrord carried out
his mission with strong support from the Frankish leader Pepin of Heristal,
whose patronage gave him access and protection throughout the region. In 698,
Willibrord founded the great monastery of Echternach (in present-day
Luxembourg), which became the center of his missionary operations and a major
cultural and spiritual hub.
His ministry extended
beyond Frisia, reaching into Denmark and northern Germany, and he often faced
violent opposition from pagan groups. One well-known episode describes an
attempt on his life after he destroyed a pagan idol.
The mission suffered a
major setback after Pepin’s death in 714, when King Radbod of Frisia reclaimed
lost territories and drove out Christian missionaries. Many of Willibrord’s
gains were temporarily undone. After Radbod’s death in 719, Willibrord resumed
his work with renewed vigor, assisted by St. Boniface, who regarded him as a
mentor.
St. Willibrord spent his
final years at Echternach, where he died on November 7, 739. He is honored
throughout the Low Countries and Luxembourg as the "Apostle of the
Frisians."
SOURCE : https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=2146
Saint Willibrord
Apostle of Frisia,
Netherlands, a missionary archbishop. Born in Northumbria, England, circa 658,
he studied at Ripon monastery under St. Wilfrid and spent twelve years studying
in Ireland at the abbey of Rathmelsigi (most likely Mellifont, County Louth)
under Sts. Egbert and Wigbert.
After receiving
ordination and extensive training in the field of the missions, he set out
about 690 with a dozen companions for Frisia, or Friesland. In 693, he went to
Rome to seek papal approval for his labors, Pope Sergius I (r. 687-701) gave
his full approbation and, during Willibrord’s second Roman visit, the pontiff
consecrated him archbishop to the Frisians, in 696, with his see at Utrecht. In
his work, Willibrord also received much support and encouragement from the
Frankish leader; Pepin of Heristal (r. 687-714).
Willibrord founded the
monastery of Echternach, Luxembourg, to serve as a center of missionary
endeavors, and extended the efforts of missionaries into Denmark and Upper
Friesland. He faced chronic dangers from outraged pagans, including one who
nearly murdered him after he tore down a pagan idol. In 714, Duke Radbod
reclaimed the extensive territories acquired by Pepin, and Willilbrord watched
all of the progress he had made be virtually undone. After Radbod’s death,
Willibrord started over with great enthusiasm, receiving invaluable assistance,
from St. Boniface. Willibrord died on retreat at Echternach on November 7. For
his efforts, he is called the Apostle of the Frisians.
SOURCE : http://www.ucatholic.com/saints/willibrord/
Buste
reliquaire de saint Willibrord. Église Saint-Willibrord. Gravelines. Flandres.
St. Willibrord
Bishop of Utrecht, Apostle of
the Frisians, and son of St. Hilgis, born in Northumbria, 658; died at Echternach,Luxemburg,
7 Nov., 739. Willibrord made his early studies at
the Abbey of Ripon near York,
as a disciple of St.
Wilfrid, and then entered the Benedictine
Order. When twenty years old he went to Ireland and
spent twelve years in the Abbey of Rathmelsigi (identified by some
as Mellifont in Co. Louth) under St.
Egbert. From him Willibrord and eleven companions received the mission to
Frisia, at the request of Pepin. They came to Utrechtbut did not
remain there, repairing to the court of Pepin. In 692 Willibrord went
to Rome,
received Apostolicauthorization, and returned to his missionary labours.
At the wish of Pepin he went for a second time to Rome,
was consecrated Bishop of
the Frisians by Sergius
III (21 Nov., 695) in the Church of St. Cecilia, and given
the name of Clement. He also received the pallium from
the pope.
On his return he laboured among the people assigned to him; to raise recruits
for future apostolic work he founded a monastery at Utrecht,
where also he built a church in honour of
the Holy
Redeemer and made it his cathedral.
In 698 he established an abbey at
the Villa Echternach on the Sure; this villa had been presented to him by St.
Irmina, daughter of St. Dagobert II, thedonation being legally confirmed in
706.
When Radbod gained possession of
all Frisia (716) Willibrord was obliged to
leave, and Radbod destroyed most of the churches, replaced them
by temples and shrines to
the idols, and killed many of the missionaries. Willibrord
and his companions made trips between the Maas and the Waal, to the North of
Brabant, in Thuringia andGeldria,
but met with no success in Denmark and Helgoland.
After the death of Radbod he returned (719) and repaired the damages
done there, being ably assisted in this work by St.
Boniface. Numberless conversions were the result of their labour.
Willibrord frequently retired to the Abbey of Echternach to provide
more particularly for his own soul;
he was buried in the oratory of this abbey,
and after death was almost immediately honoured as
asaint. Some relics were
distributed in various churches, but the greater part remained at
the abbey.
On 19 Oct., 1031, the relics were
placed in a shrine under the main altar of the new basilica.
His feast is
celebrated on 7 Nov., but in England,
by order of Leo
XIII, on 29 Nov. Since his burial Echternacht has been a place ofpilgrimage,
and Alcuin mentions miracles wrought
there. The old church was restored in 1862 and consecrated in
Sept., 1868. Another solemn translation of the relics took
place on 4 June, 1906, from the Church of St. Peter to the
new basilica. On this occasion occurred also the
annual procession of the holy dancers (see ABBEY
OF ECHTERNACH — The Dancing Procession). Five bishops in
full pontificals assisted; engaged in the dance were 2Swiss
guards, 16 standard-bearers, 3045 singers, 136 priests,
426 musicians, 15,085 dancers, and 2032 players (Studien
u. Mittheilungen, 1906, 551).
No writing can with certainty be
attributed to St. Willibrord except a marginal note in
the Calendar of Echternachgiving
some chronological data. On his testament or last will, which is
probably genuine, see "Acts SS.", III Nov., 631. In the
national library of Paris (No.
9389) there is a copy of the Gospels under the name of Willibrord;
this is an old Irish manuscript and
was probably brought by Willibrord from Ireland (Bellesheim,
"Gesch. der kath. Kirche in Irland", I, Mainz, 1890, 623).
Sources
The Life was
written by Alcuin and dedicated to BEORNRAD. (Abbot of Echternach). He probably
made use of an older one written by a British monk, which is lost. This
was used also by THEOFRIC.
Mershman, Francis. "St. Willibrord." The Catholic
Encyclopedia. Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton
Company, 1912. 23 Apr. 2015 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15645a.htm>
Transcription. This
article was transcribed for New Advent by Michael C. Tinkler.
Ecclesiastical
approbation. Nihil Obstat. October 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, S.T.D.,
Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.
Copyright © 2023 by Kevin Knight.
Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
SOURCE : http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15645a.htm
Statue
de saint Willibrord à Echternach
Willibrord of Echternach,
OSB B (RM)
Born in Northumbria, Britain, 658; died in Echternach, Luxembourg, 739. His
name indicates that he is of Saxon lineage ('Willi' is a great god of Norse
mythology; 'brord' indicates 'under the protection of'). Although their family
name was clearly pagan, his parents were Christians. Willibrord's father was
such a devout Christian that, at his own expense, he founded a little monastery
near the sea and went to live there.
Like many children of the
period, seven-year-old Willibrord was sent to another monastery at Ripon to be
educated under Saint Wilfrid. (The Rule of Saint Benedict speaks of oblates
offered to the monastery by their parents. Willibrord's mother probably either
died or took the veil.)
At that time monks
liberally interpreted their vow of attaching themselves to a single community,
and many of them went to complete their education in Ireland, which was famous
for its scholarship. For 12 years Willibrord studied at Rathmelsigi under
Saints Egbert and Wigbert, and was ordained a priest there in 688.
At Rathmelsigi
Willibrord's real story begins for Egbert had a pet scheme that he shared with
many of his monks. He planned to send missionaries to the continent, and
especially to the pagan Germans of Frisia. It was an excellent opportunity to
win a whole people for God, and also to win the crown of martyrdom. Willibrord,
age 32, was chosen by Egbert to lead 11 other English monks across the North
Sea to Frisia.
Willibrord is described
as shorter than average and cheerful. He possessed a quick tongue, a good
education, an appetite for adventure, and a sense of humor--not to forget:
faith, hope, and charity.
In the autumn of 690, the
12 arrived at Katwijk-aan-Zee, at one of the mouths of the Rhein. From there
they followed the river to Wij-bij Duurstede (Holland) and sought out Pepin II
of Herstal, mayor of the palace of Clovis II, king of the Franks.
690 landed with other 11
English monks in Friesland, under protection of Pepin of Herstal, who had just
wrested Lower Friesland from the pagan leader Duke Radbod, considered a savage
bear who ruled as a tyrant over acres of sandy mud and who poisoned his
enemies.
As soon as he had seen
Pepin and received his support for the conversion of the Frisians, he went to
Rome to seek advice from Pope Saint Sergius I and receive his orders for the
mission. This proves that the pope was seen as the Christian leader and that
Willibrord wanted to be dependent upon him and only him. Willibrord's
determination to place himself under the orders of Rome was reinforced by the
earlier failure of Suidbert, who had wangled a consecration on the sly in York.
Not even the help and generosity of Pepin and other could make Willibrord think
that he should rely on them for all his apostolic work. Before his departure he
was consecrated for the job by the pope.
On his second Roman visit
in 695, Willibrord convinced Pope Sergius II that the young mission needed a
prelate who was independent both of York and of Pepin II; and Sergius, for his
part, realized that the only person capable of filling this office, which
needed tact as well as energy, was Willibrord.
And so he was consecrated
as archbishop November 22--Saint Cecelia's feast in Saint Cecelia's Church.
Perhaps because his Sicilian tongue couldn't pronounce 'Willibrord,' Sergius
insisted on changing the saint's name to 'Clement,' a choice that may have been
influenced by the Englishman's phlegmatic mildness. Sergius then sent him back
to his flock with some relics and the title archbishop of the Frisians.
On his return to the
northern mists, Clement-Willibrord, who rarely used his Latin name, he created
his see at Utrecht. Thus, he inaugurated the English colony in continental
Europe that was to be so potent a religious influence for 100 years.
Unlike modern bishoprics
full of administrators and equipment, Willibrord's archbishopric was a living
heart. He was constantly on the road, like his missionary monks, preaching from
village to village. Gradually he established each little hamlet as a parish
with its own priest and liturgies illuminated by the Benedictine spirit.
Willibrord and Saint Boniface of Crediton together were responsible for
instituting chorepiscopi, 'country bishops,' in western Europe to help them in
their work.
Willibrord was
well-equipped to deal with powerful people who possessed the land, money, and
power needed to support his work. He made use of the great, made them servants
of the Gospel, but was never subservient or over-ready to give his blessing to
their follies. From them he obtained the vast tracks of land that he turned
into villages and parishes, like Alphen in north Brabant. With their money he
established monasteries that served as centers of intellectual and religious
enlightenment.
About 700 he established
a second important missionary center at Echternach, on the banks of the Sure in
today's junction between Luxembourg and Germany. He continued to evangelize
especially in the northern area of the present-day Benelux countries, though it
does appear that he explored Denmark and perhaps Thuringia (Upper Friesland),
too. Once he barely escaped a mission with his life-- he was attacked by a
pagan priest at Walcheren for destroying an idol.
In 714 Willibrord
baptized Charles Martel's son Pepin the Short.
During the period 715-19,
Willibrord's experienced a set-back during Frisian uprising against Franks. On
the death of Pepin II in December 714, Duke Radbod, who had submitted to him
but had never converted, invaded the territories he had lost to Pepin of
Herstal. He massacred, pillaged, burned, and stole everything that he could
find that bore the Christian mark.
But as soon as the quarrel
about succession within Merovingian Pepin's family had been settled by the
skill of Charles Martel, Radbod and his Neustrian allies were defeated by
Martel and his Austrasians in the forest of Compiegne on September 26, 715.
There were other uprisings until Radbod's death in 719, but Willibrord and his
missionaries were able to repair the damage and renew their work. About 719,
Boniface joined them and worked with them in Friesland for three years before
proceeding to Germany.
Willibrord's missionary
achievement was not spectacular--the rapidity and number of conversions was
exaggerated by later writers--but it was a solid laying of foundations; 'his
charity was manifest in his daily unremitting labor for Christ's sake' (Alcuin). He
is known as the Apostle of the Frisians.
He died while on a
retreat at Echternach on November 7, 739. His frail body was placed in a stone
sarcophagus, which may still be seen there.
Every year on Whit
Tuesday there is an hour's long processional dance of pilgrims through the
streets of Echternach and round the saint's tomb in the church, each group
accompanied by its own brass band. This has been done since before 1553, an
unspoiled survivor of ancient sanctified merrymaking. (And if you've ever been
to Echternach, you'd know this is a real feat--it's not much bigger than a
hamlet.)
Early in the eighth
century a monk of Echternach wrote out a calendar of saints, many of whom were
connected with the scenes of Willibrord's life. The Calendar of Saint
Willibrord is now in the National Library in Paris (Latin manuscript #10.837),
and it is of great interest to students of hagiography; under the date 21
November 728 (Folio 39) are several autobiographical lines written by
Willibrord himself giving the dates of going to France and being ordained a
bishop (Attwater, Delaney, Encyclopedia, Grieve, Verbist). In art, Saint
Willibrord's emblem is a barrel on which he rests his cross. The Abbey of
Echternach is behind him and he is vested in episcopal attire.
At times the following
variations are observed: (1) in bishop's vestments, he rests his cross on a
well, with a barrel, four flagons, and the abbey behind him; (2) bishop
carrying a child, or with a child nearby; (3) bishop with Utrecht Cathedral
behind him; (4) as a monk with a ship and a tree; or (5) seated on a horse
carrying a church in his outstretched hand.
He is easily confused
with Saint Othmar, who is not a bishop but rather an abbot. Willibrord is
invoked against convulsions and epilepsy. He is the patron of the Netherlands
(Roeder).
SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/1107.shtml
Pictorial
Lives of the Saints – Saint Willibrord
Willibrord
was born in Northumberland in 657, and when twenty years old, went to Ireland,
to study under Saint Egbert; twelve years later, he felt drawn to convert the
great pagan tribes who were hanging as a cloud over the north of Europe. He
went to Rome for the blessing of the Pope, and with eleven companions reached
Utrecht. The pagans would not accept the religion of their enemies the Franks;
and Saint Willibrord could only labor in the track of Pepin Heristal,
converting the tribes whom Pepin subjugated. At Pepin’s urgent request, he
again went to Rome, and was consecrated Archbishop of Utrecht. He was stately
and comely in person, frank and joyous, wise in counsel, pleasant in speech, in
every work of God strenuous and unwearied. Multitudes were converted, and the
Saint built churches and appointed priests all over the land. He wrought many
miracles, and had the gift of prophecy. He labored unceasingly as bishop for
more than fifty years, beloved alike of God and of man, and died full of days
and good works.
Reflection – True zeal
has its root in the love of God. It can never be idle; it must labor, toil, be
doing great things. It glows as fire; it is, like fire, insatiable. See if this
spirit be in you.
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/pictorial-lives-of-the-saints-saint-willibrord/
Mémorial
de saint Willibrord à Trèves
St. Willibrord, First
Bishop of Utrecht, Confessor
From his life, written by
Alcuin, in two books, the one in prose, the other in verse, together with a
homily, and an elegant poem in his honour. Also Bede, l. 5, Hist. c. 11, 12,
and St. Boniface, ep. 97. See Batavia Sacra, p. 36, and Mabillon. Annal. Bened.
t. 1, l. 18, sec. 4, and Acta Sanct. Ord. S. Bened. Sæc. 3, part 1, p.
601. Calmet, Hist. de Lorraine, t. 3, pr. et t. 1, app. Fabricius,
Salutar. Luce Evang. c. 19, p. 442.
A.D. 738.
ST. WILLIBRORD was born
in the kingdom of Northumberland, towards the year 658, and placed by his
virtuous parents, before he was seven years old, in the monastery of Rippon,
which was at that time governed by St. Wilfrid, its founder. Wilgis, our
saint’s father, retired also into a monastery, afterwards became a hermit, and
in his old age founded and governed a small monastery between the ocean and the
Humber. He is honoured among the saints in the monastery of Epternac, and in
the English calendars. Alcuin has left us an account of his life Willibrord, by
carrying the yoke of our Lord with fervour from his infancy, found it always easy
and sweet, and the better to preserve the first fruits which he had gathered,
made his monastic profession when he was very young. He had made great progress
in virtue and sacred learning, when, out of a desire for further improvement,
in the twentieth year of his age, he went over into Ireland, with the consent
of his abbot and brethren, where he joined St. Egbert or Ecgbright, and the
blessed Wigbert, who were gone thither before upon the same errand. In their
company our saint spent twelve years in the study of the sacred sciences, and
in the most fervent exercise of all virtues. Though his constitution was weak,
in fervour and exactness, he outdid the most advanced; he was humble, modest,
and of an easy obliging temper; and his whole conduct was regular and uniform.
St. Egbert had long entertained an ardent desire of going to preach the gospel
to the inhabitants of those unhappy countries, in which barbarism and idolatry
still reigned without control, and he had chiefly Friesland or Lower Germany in
his eye. But he was diverted from that apostolical design by persons of piety
and authority, who engaged him to employ his zealous labours in the islands
between Ireland and Scotland, in all which he settled the true manner of
celebrating Easter; especially at Hij, where he died a little before Bede wrote
his history. St. Egbert is honoured in the English Calendar on the 24th of
April. Bede gives a most edifying account of his austere penance, devotion,
zeal, and charity. His companion, the holy priest Wigbert, went in the mean
time to Friesland; but after staying there two years came back without having
met with any prospect of success. This disappointment did not discourage
Egbert, and other zealous promoters of this mission; but excited them the more
earnestly to solicit the divine mercy with prayers and tears in favour of so
many souls, who were perishing eternally. Willibrord, who was then about
thirty-one years of age, and had been ordained priest a year before, expressed
a great desire to be allowed by his superiors to undertake this laborious and
dangerous charge. St. Egbert, by the known zeal and great talents of our saint,
and by his cheerfulness, which sufficiently showed him prepared to encounter
all difficulties in the prosecution of such a work, doubted not but God had
reserved to him the conversion of that nation, and encouraged him in this
zealous design. St. Willibrord was joined by St. Swidbert and ten other English
monks in this mission
The Frisons, who had
formerly occupied a large tract of country on the coasts of the German ocean,
crossing the Rhine into Belgic Gaul, had possessed themselves of those
provinces about the mouth of the Rhine, which the Catti, who were also
originally Germans, then held. 1 Among
all the German nations none maintained their liberty against the Romans, with
greater success and courage, than the Frisons. Procopius tells us, 2 that
some of them came into Britain with the English Saxons: and by their situation
they were doubtless the most expert in maritime affairs. St. Ludger 3 mentions
that Swidbert, and the rest of these zealous preachers, were desirous to carry
the light of the faith to these people, because their ancestors sprang from
them. St. Eligius, bishop of Noyon, had preached in part of Friesland, and St.
Wilfrid had sown there the seeds of our holy faith in 678. But these seem to
have been almost rooted out 4 before
St. Willibrord’s arrival in 690 or 691. The authors of Batavia Sacra 5 doubt
not but our twelve missionaries landed at Catwic upon the sea, which was at the
mouth of the Rhine before it was blocked up with sands, and thither the English
were accustomed to export corn, even from the north coasting part of their
island; the British tower, as it was called, was built by the Romans at Catwic
to defend this harbour. 6 This
old channel was not entirely obstructed in 1050, as appears from the Chronicle
of Woerden. 7 And
Alcuin expressly says, that these missionaries landed at the mouth of the
Rhine, and travelled thence to Utrecht, a town built by the Romans at the great
passage over the Rhine; whence it was called Trajectum, afterwards Trecht, and
lastly Utrecht, (from Outrecht, the Old Passage, and Ultrajectum, or Passage at
the town Vulta,) to distinguish it from the ancient town of Maestricht or
Passage over the Maese. Pepin of Herstal, or the Big, who was at that time duke
of the French, and mayor of the king’s palace, and had lately conquered part of
Friesland, received courteously St. Willibrord and his companions. But
Willibrord set out for Rome, and cast himself at the feet of Pope Sergius,
begging his apostolic blessing and authority to preach the gospel to idolatrous
nations. The pope, charmed with his zeal and sanctity, granted him the most
ample licenses for that purpose, and gave him a great quantity of relics for
the consecration of churches. With this treasure the saint returned with all
possible expedition to his province, considering the pressing necessities and dangers
of so many souls which called for his compassion and relief. St. Swibert was
taken from him and ordained bishop of the Borroctuarians, who seemed to have
inhabited the territory of Berg, and the neighbouring country towards Cologne.
St. Willibrord, with his
ten other companions, under the protection of Pepin, preached the gospel with
wonderful success, in that part of Friesland that had been conquered by the
French; so that after six years, Pepin, by the advice of his bishops, sent the
saint to Rome, with strong letters of recommendation, that he might be ordained
bishop. His humility made him endeavour that some other should be pitched upon
for that dignity; but he was not heard. Pope Sergius, who still sat in St.
Peter’s chair, received him with great marks of honour, changed his name into
that of Clement, with great solemnity ordained him archbishop of the Frisons in
St. Peter’s church, and gave him the pallium with authority to fix his see in
what part of the country he should think most convenient. The holy man staid
only fourteen days in Rome, being impatient to return to his flock, and
regretting an hour’s absence from them, more than was necessary to procure them
greater advantages. He came back to Utrecht the same year, 696, and chose that
city for his residence, Pepin having bestowed on him the royal castle of
Viltaburg, which, as Bede assures us, 8 was
at Utrecht, though Cluverius will have it to have been the present Wiltenburg,
three miles and a half from Utrecht; but this town itself was called Vulta, or
the city of the Vultæ. 9 St.
Willibrord built at Utrecht the church of our Saviour, in which he fixed his
metropolitical see, says St. Boniface, 10 and
that of St. Martin, though this latter he only restored, for it had been a
church, but destroyed by the Pagans. 11 Heda
and Beka think it had been built by king Dagobert, at the desire of St.
Wilfrid. This latter church became afterwards the cathedral, and both were
served by colleges of canons. The archbishop’s indefatigable application to the
conversion of souls seemed to prove, that with the new obligation he had
received at his consecration, of labouring to enlarge the kingdom of his Divine
Master, he had acquired fresh strength and a considerable augmentation of his
zeal. In the second year after his episcopal consecration, assisted by the
liberality of Pepin, and the abbess Irmina, who is said to have been daughter
of Dagobert II., he founded, in 698, the abbey of Epternac, in the diocess of
Triers, and now in the duchy of Luxemburg, 12 which
he governed to his death. Alcuin relates, that the nunnery of Horrea, of which
Irmina was abbess, had been delivered from a pestilence by water, blessed by
St. Willibrord, and by his saying mass in the church. Pepin of Herstal, before
his death put away his concubine, Alpais, by whom he had Charles Martel, and
was reconciled to his wife Plectrudis, and in his last will, which is signed by
Plectrudis, he recommended to St. Willibrord, his nephews, (without any mention
of his natural son Charles,) and bestowed on our saint the village of Swestram,
now Susteren, in the duchy of Juliers, near the Mews, with which the holy man
endowed a nunnery which he built there. 13
Pepin of Herstal died in
December, 714. A little before his death, Charles Martel’s son, Pepin the
Short, afterwards king of France, was born, and baptized by St. Willibrord, who
on that occasion is related by Alcuin to have prophesied, that the child would
surpass in glory all his ancestors. Charles Martel in a short time became mayor
of the palace, and approved himself equally the first general and statesman of
his age. In 723, he settled upon the monastery which St. Willibrord had erected
at Utrecht to serve his cathedral, all the royal revenues belonging to his
castle there. 14 Of
this monastery St. Gregory was afterwards abbot; in succeeding times it was
secularized. Several other donations of estates made by Charles Martel to
several churches founded by our saint, may be seen in Miræus and others. By a
charter, that prince conferred on him the royalties of the city of Utrecht with
its dependencies and appurtenances. 15 By
such establishments our saint sought to perpetuate the work of God. Not content
to have planted the faith in the country which the French had conquered, he
extended his labours into West-Friesland, which obeyed Radbod, prince or king
of the Frisons, who continued an obstinate idolater; yet hindered not the
saint’s preaching to his subjects, and he himself sometimes listened to him.
The new apostle penetrated also into Denmark: but Ongend, (perhaps Biorn,) who
then reigned there, a monster of cruelty rather than a man, was hardened in his
malice, and his example had a great influence over his subjects. The man of
God, however, for the first fruits of this country, purchased thirty young
Danish boys, whom he instructed, baptized, and brought back with him. In his
return he was driven by stress of weather upon the famous pagan island, called
Fositeland, now Amelandt, on the coast of Friesland, six leagues from
Leuwarden, to the north, a place then esteemed by the Danes and Frisons as most
sacred in honour of the idol Fosite. It was looked upon as an unpardonable
sacrilege, for any one to kill any living creature in that island, to eat of
any thing that grew in it, or to draw water out of a spring there without
observing the strictest silence. St. Willibrord, to undeceive the inhabitants,
killed some of the beasts for his companions to eat, and baptized three persons
in the fountain, pronouncing the words aloud. The idolaters expected to see
them run mad or drop down dead: and seeing no such judgment befal them, could
not determine whether this was to be attributed to the patience of their god,
or to his want of power. They informed Radbod, who, transported with rage,
ordered lots to be cast three times a day, for three days together, and the
fate of the delinquents to be determined by them. God so directed it that the
lot never fell upon Willibrord; but one of his company was sacrificed to the
superstition of the people, and died a martyr for Jesus Christ.
The saint, upon leaving
Amelandt, directed his course to Warckeren, one of the chief islands belonging
to Zealand. His charity and patience made considerable conquests to the
Christian religion there, and he established several churches. After the death
of Radbod, which happened in 719, Willibrord was at full liberty to preach in
every part of the country. He was joined in his apostolical labours, in 720, by
St. Boniface, who spent three years in Friesland: then went into Germany. Bede
says, when he wrote his history in 731, “Willibrord, surnamed Clement, is still
living, venerable for his old age, having been bishop thirty-six years, and
sighing after the rewards of the heavenly life, after many conflicts in the
heavenly warfare.” 16 He
was, says Alcuin, of a becoming stature, venerable in his aspect, comely in his
person, graceful and always cheerful in his speech and countenance, wise in his
counsel, unwearied in preaching and all apostolic functions, amidst which he
was careful to nourish the interior life of his soul by assiduous prayer,
singing of psalms, watching, and fasting. Alcuin, who wrote about fifty years
after his death, assures us, that this apostle was endowed with the gift of
miracles, and relates, that whilst he preached in the isle of Warckeren, where
the towns of Flessingue and Middleburg are since built, going from village to
village, he found in one of them a famous idol to which the people were
offering their vows and sacrifices, and full of holy zeal threw it down, and
broke it in pieces. In the mean time an idolater, who was the priest and
guardian of the idol, gave him a blow on the head with his backsword, with
which, nevertheless, the saint was not hurt: and he would not suffer the
assassin to be touched, or prosecuted. But the unhappy man was soon after
possessed with a devil, and lost his senses. By the tears, prayers, and zealous
labours of this apostle and his colleagues, the faith was planted in most parts
of Holland, Zealand, and all the remaining part of the Netherlands, whither St.
Amand and St. Lebwin had never penetrated; and the Frisons, till then a rough
and most barbarous people, were civilized, and became eminent for virtue, and
the culture of arts and sciences. St. Wulfran, archbishop of Sens, and others,
excited by the success of our saint’s missions, were ambitious to share in so
great a work under his direction. St. Willibrord was exceedingly cautious in
admitting persons to holy orders, fearing lest one unworthy or slothful
minister should defeat by scandal, all the good which the divine mercy had
begun for the salvation of many souls. It is also mentioned of him, that he was
very strict and diligent in examining and preparing thoroughly those whom he
admitted to baptism, dreading the condemnation which those incur, who, by sloth
or facility, open a door to the profanation of our most tremendous mysteries.
The schools which St. Willibrord left at Utrecht, were very famous. 17 Being
at length quite broken with old age he resigned the administration of his
diocess to a coadjutor whom he ordained bishop, 18 and
in retirement prepared himself for eternity. He died, according to Pagi, in
739; according to Mabillon, in 740 or 741, and according to Mr. Smith, 19 in
745, some adhering to Alcuin, others to Bede, &c. St. Boniface says, that
St. Willibrord spent fifty years in preaching the gospel, 20 which
Mr. Smith dates from his episcopal consecration; Mabillon, 21 from
his coming into Friesland: but others think these fifty years mean only
thereabouts. For Alcuin says, he came into Friesland in the thirty-third year
of his age, and lived eighty-one years; which account only allows him
forty-eight years employed in preaching. But, if St. Boniface comprises the two
years in which he preached in Ireland, and the Scottish islands, his Chronology
agrees with Alcuin’s dates, and it follows that St. Willibrord died in 738:
which is confirmed by the Chronicle of Epternac, compiled from the Necrology
and manuscript registers of that monastery. Alcuin and Rabanus Maurus place his
death on the 6th of November: but the Chronicle of Epternac, Usuard, Ado, and
the Roman and Benedictin Martyrologies commemorate him on the 7th. He was
buried, as he had desired, at his monastery of Epternac, and his relics are
there enshrined at this day. The portative altar which he made use of for the
celebration of the divine mysteries, in travelling through Friesland, Zealand,
and Holland, is kept in the Benedictin abbey of our Lady ad martyres, at
Triers. 22 St.
Willibrord’s Testament in favour of his monastery of Epternac was published by
F. Ch. Scribanius, S. J. in his Antwerp, by Miræus, 23 with
notes by Boschart; and by Calmet, among the proofs of his History of Lorrain. 24
A true pastor, who is
animated with fervour and zeal, allows himself no repose, whilst he can
comfort, instruct, exhort, or weep and pray for the souls which are entrusted
to his charge, and whose spiritual dangers are continually near his heart. He
whose life is regular and methodical, and who is solicitous and earnest, finds
time to do with ease, and without a single thought of it, more business than
seems credible to the slothful. This every Christian may experience: and,
without the obligations of the pastoral charge, every one owes so many and so
great duties, both to others and to himself, that unless he is supinely
slothful and wilfully blind, he will find business enough constantly upon his
hands to employ earnestly all his moments. Nor is it our misfortune that we
have not time, but that through sloth and thoughtlessness we mispend it.
Note 1. The Catti
were esteemed by the Romans the most valiant of all the Germans, especially the
Batavi, a part of these Catti who settled in the island between the branches of
the Rhine. Leaving Germany they at length settled among the Belgæ; but since
the coming of the Frisons among them their name was lost; only in two villages
called Catwic. The Batavi, a small part of the Catti, upon the arrival of the
Frisons, confined themselves within a little island formed by the rivers in
part of Guelderland, named still from them Betawe, near Nimegue. The name of
Holland began to be used in the eleventh century, first for a very small
district, which reached no further than Dort, or its island. The name was given
to the country from the village Hollant, and signifies a low, flat, hollow, or
marshy land, Hol-lant. (See Ant. Mattheus, de Nobilitate, l. 1, c.
12, p. 49, et Id. Analect. t. 5, p. 480.) A like country in Lincolnshire
is called Holland. (See Camden.) So Watten in Artois, Watton in Norfolk, and
Wattun nunnery in Yorkshire, signify a watery or damp town; and the last is
called in Latin, Humida Villa, by St. Aëlred, (l. de Miraculo in
Sanctimoniali de Wattun, inter 10 Script. Angl.) [back]
Note 2. Procop. de
Goth. l. 4, c. 29. [back]
Note 3. In vit. S.
Suidberti. [back]
Note 4. See
Boschart, in Diatribâ de Primis Frisæ Apostolis. [back]
Note 5. Proleg. § 7,
p. 6. [back]
Note 6. The old
channel of the Rhine passed by Arnheim, Rhenen, Utrecht, Leyden, and Catwic;
but this channel is now no more than a brook which does not reach the ocean,
but two leagues below Leyden loses itself in the sands, and in two or three
small brooks; its waters having been exhausted by four great channels: 1. the
Wahal, which goes from it at Fort Skenk to the Meuse; 2. the famous channel cut
by Drusus from it above Arnheim to the Issel; 3. the Leck, eight leagues lower,
and the Weck, which at Utrecht almost drains it. The Meuse having received the
Wahal below the isle of Bommel, is called the Meruve, and being increased by
the Leck and the Weck, disembogues itself into the ocean below Rotterdam, where
it receives the Rote. [back]
Note 7. Johan. a
Leidis, in Chron. Belg. See Ant. Mattheus, de Nobilit. l. 2, c. 4. [back]
Note 8. Bede, Hist.
l. 5, c. 12. [back]
Note 9. Sigebert,
Chron. ad an 679. [back]
Note 10. Ep. 97, ad
Steph. Pap. [back]
Note 11. Ib. See
Boschartius, in Diatribâ, diss. 49. [back]
Note 12. See the
charter of Irmina in Miræus, Donationes Piæ Belgic. [back]
Note 13. Brower.
Annal. Trevir., l. 7. Mabill. Annal. Bened., t. 2, l. 19. § 72. [back]
Note 14. See his
diploma in Heda, p. 28. Le Cointe and Miræus. [back]
Note 15. See this
chapter in Willh. Heda, p. 28. See also Buchelius in Hedam, and Alcuin, l. 2,
c. 51. [back]
Note 16. Bede, Hist.
l. 5, c. 12. [back]
Note 17. Dom. Rivet,
Hist. Litter. t. 3, p. 449. [back]
Note 18. The
archbishopric of Utrecht failed after the death of St. Boniface, the archbishop
of Cologne claiming the administration. But after some interval a bishopric was
re-established here, and the authors of Batavia Sacra reckon sixty bishops of
Utrecht before this see, in 1559, was again made an archbishopric, by Paul IV.
with five suffragans—namely, of Haerlem, Middleberg, Daventer, Groeninguen, and
Boisleduc. But the union or confederacy of the states against the Spaniards
formed at Utrecht, in 1579, put an end to this establishment; and since the
revolt of the United Provinces, the spiritual government among the Catholics is
intrusted to bishops in partibus infidelium, with commissions of
apostolic vicars, the first being nominated in 1602. Jansenism raised great
disturbances in Holland, in the time of John of Neercassel, bishop of Castoria,
vicar apostolic, who died in 1686; greater under his successor Peter Codd,
archbishop of Sebaste, who was cited to Rome in 1700, and after his return, in
1702, suspended by Clement XI. He died in 1710, having declared that he had
always condemned the five propositions, but had not been able to discover them
in Jansenius’s book entitled Augustinus. Theodore de Cock, substituted
pro-vicar in his place, was banished by the States, and died at Rome. Gerard
Potcamp was created apostolic vicar in Holland, in 1705, but died the same
year, and his successor, Adam Daemen, was rejected by the States. On the
pretended chapter of Utrecht, and the bishop of Babylon, excommunicated by
several succeeding popes, &c., see the history and ample confutation of
their pretensions, published by the late Cardinal of Alsace, archbishop of
Mechlin. [back]
Note 19. In Bed. l.
5, c. 12, p. 194. [back]
Note 20. Ep. 97, ad
Steph. II. papam. [back]
Note 21. Ap.
Martenne, Ampl. Collect. t. 4, p. 505. [back]
Note 22. See Molan.
in Indiculo SS. Belgii, and F. Brower, Annal. Trevir., l. 7. [back]
Note 23. Miræus in
Codice Donationum Piarum Belg. Item in Batavia Sacra. [back]
Note 24. Bale, Pits, Swertius, (Athen. Belg. p. 701,) Vossius, (l. 2, de Hist. Lat. c. 23,) and Bishop Tanner (Bibl. Brit. p. 776,) ascribe to St. Willibrord books on his travels; also canons, homilies, and epistles. Dr. Cave judiciously omits the mention of them. The travels seem a mistake for St. Willibald’s: the rest for some others; for no authentic mention is found of them. At Epternac are kept two manuscripts in Saxon letters, brought into France by St. Willibrord; one containing the four gospels copied from the very original of St. Jerom: the other of St. Jerom’s Martyrology, which the Bollandists have engraved in their work. In the margin of this calendar is written, in St. Willibrord’s hand: “Clement Willibrord came from beyond the sea into France, in 690: though unworthy, was ordained by the apostolic man, Pope Sergius, in 695; is now living, in 728,” &c. See Dom Martenne, and Durand, Voyage Littéraire, p. 297. Calmet, Hist. de Lorraine, t. 3, p. 99. [back]
Rev. Alban
Butler (1711–73). Volume XI: November. The Lives of the
Saints. 1866.
Original source: The Medieval
Sourcebook
Talbot Introduction:
The earliest Life of
Willibrord, written, as Theofrid, Abbot of Echternach (10831100), tells us, by
an unlearned Scot (i.e. an Irishman) in a rough and unpolished style, has
disappeared, though its contents may be reconstructed from the biography composed
by Alcuin, who probably used it as his source.
Alcuin, the author of the
present Life, was born in York in 735 and became the master of the school there
in 778. Four years later he was appointed head of Charlemagne's school at AixlaChapelle
[Aachen] and became a leading member of that select circle who supported the
emperor in his efforts to reeducate Europe. In 796 he was removed to Tours and
died in 804.
His Life of Willibrord
was written at the request of Beornrade, Abbot of Echternach and Archbishop of
Sens. As a relative of Willibrord and legal possessor of the Monastery of St.
Andrew, founded by Willibrord s father, Wilgils, on a headland overlooking the
mouth of the Humber, Alcuin must have undertaken the work as a kind of tribute
to his family conneciions. It is not a particularly impressive piece of
writing, sometimes ungr~nmatical and at all times turgid and rhetorical, but as
it was meant to be read at public worship its lack of historical detail and its
insistence on Willibrord's miracles may perhaps be excused. He wrote another
version in hexameter verse for students at the monastic schools, without,
however, adding anything to the material offered here.
Theofrid, mentioned
above, also wrote a prose and metrical Life of Willibrord, basing it on
Alcuin's material with additions from Bede, the lives of other saints and the
Echternach charters. A third Life, written by a presbyter called Echebert,
repeats Alcuin's Life, with certain modifications at the beginning and the end.
Sources: The Life of
Willibrord, written by Alcuin, was first published by Surius in his collection
De Probatis Sanctorum Histords (Cologne, 1575), Vol. Vi, pp. 127-37. The
critical edition was prepared by W. Wattenbach, Monumenta Alcuiniana, in the
series Bibliotheca Rerum Germanicarum, edited by Ph. Jaff6. It appeared in
Berlin in 1873 as the sixth volume of the collection (pp. 39-61), but was
superseded by W. Levison's text in Scriptores Rerum Merovingimcarum, vii, pp.
81-141. An English translation was made by A. Grieve, Willibrord, Missionary in
the Netherlands (London, 1923), in the collection Lives of Early and Medieval
Missionaries, published by the S.P.C.K.
THE LIFE OF ST.
WILLIBRORD BY ALCUIN
Preface
I
[3] There was in the
island of Britain, in the province of Northurnbria, a certain householder of
Saxon descent, whose name was Wilgils, living a devout Christian life together
with his wife and family. This fact was later borne out by miraculous events,
for after he had given up his worldly career he devoted himself to the monastic
life. Not long aftenwards, as his zeal for the spiritual life increased, he
entered with even more intense fenour on the austere life of a solitary,
dwelling in the headlands that are bounded by the North Sea and the river
Humber. In a little chapel there, dedicated to St. Andrew, the Apostle of
Christ, he sened God for many years in fasting, prayer and watching, with the
result that he became celebrated for his miracles, and his name was in
everyone's mouth. People flocked to him in great numbers, and when they did so
he never failed to instruct them with sound advice and the Word of God .
He was held in such high
esteem by the king and the nobles of that nation that they made over to him, in
perpetual gift, a number of small landed properties that lie near those
headlands for the purpose of building there a church to God. In this church the
reverend father gathered together a rather small but devout company of those
who wished to sene God, and there also, after the many trials of his spiritual
labours, going to his reward, his body lies at rest. His successors, who still
follow the example of his holiness, are in possession of this church to the
present day. It is I, the least of these in merit and the last in time, who am
now in charge of thisslittle chapel, which has come to me by lawful succession,
and I am writing this account of Willibrord, the holiest of fathers and the
wisest of teachers, at the request of you, Bishop Beornrade,[l] who, by the
grace of God, have succeeded him in [4] the episcopate, in the line
of family tradition and in the care of those sanctuaries, which, as we know, he
built for the glory of God.
1 Beornrade, abbot of
Willibrord's monastery at Echternach and later Archbishop of Sens.
2
Now, in order to relate
more fully the facts concerning Willibrord's birth, and recall the signs which
show that even whilst he was in his mother's womb he was chosen by God, I shall
return to the point where I began. Just as the most holy forerurlner of our
Lord Jesus Christ, blessed John the Baptist, was sanctified in his mother's
womb and preceded Chtist, as the morning star precedes the sun and, as the
Gospel tells us, was born of devout parents in order to bring salvation to
many, so likewise Willibrord, begotten for the salvation of many, was born of
devout parents.[1] Wilgils, the venerable man of whom we have already spoken,
entered upon the state of matrimony for the sole purpose of bringing into the
world a child who should benefit many peoples. Thus it was that his wife,
mother of holy Willibrord, beheld, at dead of night whilst she slept, a
heavenly vision. It seemed to her as if she saw in the sky the new moon, which,
as she watched, slowly increased until it reached the size of the full moon.
Whilst she was gazing intently upon it, it fell swiftly into her mouth, and
when she had swallowed it her bosom was suffused with light. Filled with fear,
she awoke at once and went to recount the dream to a holy priest, who asked her
whether during the night on which the vision came to her she had known her
husband in the customaty way. When she assented, he replied as follows: "
The moon which you saw changing from small to great is the son whom you
conceived on that night. He will disperse the murky darkness of error with the
light of truth, and wherever he goes he will carry with him a heavenly
splendour and display the full moon of his perfection. By the brightness of his
fame and the beauty of his life he will attract to himself the eyes of
multitudes." This interpretation of the dream was borne out by the actual
course of events.
[1] Willibrord was born,
probably, 6 November 658.
3
When her time was come
the woman bore a son, and at his baptism his father gave him the name of
Willibrord. As soon as [5] the child had reached the age of reason[l]
his father gave him to the church at Ripon to be instructed by the brethten
there in religious pursuits and sacred leatning, so that living in a place
where he could see nothing but what was vittuous and hear nothing but what was
holy his tender age should be strengthened by sound ttaining and discipline.
From his earliest years divine grace enabled him to grow in intelligence and in
sttength of chatacter, at least as far as was possible at such an age, so that
it seemed as if in our day there had been born another Samuel, of whom it was
said: " The boy grew up and advanced in favour both with God and with
men."
[1] This is
probably the correct interpretation ot the phrase "when he was weaned
". The abbot at this time was most probably St. Wilfrid, the leader of the
Roman party which triumphed at the Synod of Whitby, A.D. 664. Willibrord must
have served under Wilfrid until 669 when Wilfrid left to take possession of the
see of York.
Hence, in the monastery
of Ripon, the youth who was to prove a blessing to many received the clerical
tonsute [2] and made his profession as a monk, and, attained along with the
other youths of that holy and sacred monastery, he was inferior to none in
fervour, humility and zeal for study. In fact this highly gifted boy made such
progress as the days went by that the development of his intelligence and
character so outstripped his tender years that his small and delicate frame
harboured the wisdom of ripe old age.
[2] He received the
tonsure and made his monastic profession about the age of fifteen; cf. the
letter of St. Boniface, Tangl, No. 26.
4
When this youth, as
highly endowed with sacred learning as he was with selfcontrol and integrity,
reached the twentieth year of his age he felt an urge to pursue a more rigorous
mode of life and was stirred with a desire to travel abroad. And because he had
heard that schools and learning flourished in Ireland,[3] he was encoutaged
further by what he was told of the manner of life adopted there by certain holy
men, particularly by the blessed [6] bishop Ecgbert,[1] to whom was
given the title of Saint, and by Wichtberct,[2] the venerable servant and
priest of God, both of whom, for love of Christ, forsook home, fatherland and
family and retired to Ireland, where, cut off from the world though close to
God, they lived as solitaries enjoying the blessings of heavenly contemplation.
The blessed youth wished to imitate the godly life of these men and, after
obtaining the consent of his abbot and brethren, hastened quickly across the
sea to join the intimate circle of the said fathers, so that by contact with
them he might atain the same degree of holiness and possess the same virtues,
much as a bee sucks honey from the fiowers and stores it up in its honeycomb.
There among these masters, eminent both for sanctity and sacred learning, he
who was one day to preach to many peoples was trained for twelve years, until
he reached the mature age of manhood and the full age of Christ.
[3] Though the renown of
the Irish schools was well deserved, it does not reflect adversely on the lack
of English educational centres. St. Aldhelm of Sherborne complained at the time
about students going there and asked: Were there not schools good enough in England?
The real reason for going abroad seems to have been the expulsion of St.
Wilfrid from the see of York in 678, which led to the voluntary exile of many
monks who were in sympathy with him.
[1] Ecgbert was Abbot of
Rathmelsigi, probably Mellifont in Co. Louth. In 664 he had gone into voluntary
exile after the Synod of Whitby, but returned to Iona m 7I6. He died in 729 at
the age of ninety. He had long wanted to evangelize the Saxon peoples on the
Continent, but was prevented from doing so
[2] Wichtberct was a
companion of Ecgbert and had spent many years in Ireland. He went on a rnission
to Frisia, but, having preached for two years wlthout success, returned to
Ireland.
5
Accordingly, in the
thirtythird year of his age the fervour of his faith had reached such an
intensity that he considered it of little value to labour at his own
sanctification unless he could preach the Gospel to others and bring some
benefit to them. He had heard that in the northern regions of the world the
harvest was great but the labourers few. Thus it was that, in fulfilment of the
dream which his mother stated she had seen, Willibrord, fully aware of his own
purpose but ignorant as yet of divine preordination, decided to sail for those
parts and, if God so willed, to bring the light of the Gospel message to those
people who through unbelief had not been stirred by its warmth. So he embarked
on a ship, taking with him eleven others who shared his enthusiasm for the
faith. Some of these afterwards gained the martyr's crown through their
constancy in preaching the Gospel, others were later to become bishops and,
after their labours in the holy work of preaching, have since gone to their
rest in peace.
[7] So the man of
God, accompanied by his brethren, as we have already said, set sail, and after
a successful crossing they moored their ships at the mouth of the Rhine. Then,
after they had taken some refreshment, they set out for the Castle of Utrecht,
which lies on the bank of the river, where some years afterwards, when by
divine favour the faith had increased, Willibrord placed the seat of his
bishopric.[l] But as the Frisian people, among whom the fort was situated, and
Radbod, their king,[2] still defiled themselves by pagan practices, the man of
God thought it wiser to set out for Francia and visit Pippin,[3] the king of
that country, a man of immense energy, successful in war and of high moral
character. The duke received him with every mark of respect; and as he was
unwilling that he and his people should lose the services of so erninent a
scholar, he made over to him certain localities within the boundaries of his
own realm, where he could uproot idolatrous practices, teach the newly
converted people and so fulfil the command of the prophet: " Drive a new
furrow and sow no longer among the briars." [Jer 4:3]
[1] Willibrord's church
was built from the rums of the old Roman camp at Fectio (Vecht).
[2] From the beginning of
his reign in 697 Radbod had been antagonistic to anything that savoured of
Frankish domination and had ruthlessly destroyed churches and other buildings
erected by the Franks.
[3] Pippin II, mayor of
the palace of Clovis II. He it was who gave the church at Antwerp, previously
the scene of the labours of St. Amand and St. Eloi, to the rnissionaries for
their shelter and support.
6
After the man of God had
systematically visited several localities and carried out the task of evangelization,
and when the seed of life watered by the dews of heavenly grace had, through
his preaching, borne abundant fruit in many hearts, the aforesaid King of the
Franks, highly pleased at Willibrord's burning zeal and the extraordinary
growth of the Christian faith, and having in view the still greater propagation
of religion, thought it wise to send him to Rome in order that he might be
consecrated bishop by Pope Sergius,[4] one of the holiest men of that time.
Thus, after receiving the apostolic blessing and mandate and being filled with
greater confidence as the Pope's emissary, he would return to Preach the Gospel
with even greater vigour, according to the [8] words of the Apostle:
" How shall they preach unless they sent?" [Rom 10:15]
[4] Pope Sergius I, 687701.
Alcuin only mentions one journey to Rome, but there were two.
But when the king tried
to persuade the man of God to do this he was met by a refusal. Willibrord said
that he was not worthy to wield such great authority, and, after enumerating the
qualities which St. Paul mentioned to Timothy, his spiritual son, as being
essential for a bishop, asserted that he fell far short of such virtues On his
side, the king solemnly urged what the man of God had already humbly declined.
At length, moved by the unanimous agreement of his companions, and, what is of
more importance, constrained by the divine will, Willibrord acquiesced, anxious
to submit to the counsel of many rather than obstinately to follow his own
will. Accordingly he set out for Rome with a distingtushed company, bearing
gifts appropriate to the dignity of the Pope.
7
Four days before
Willibrord arrived in Rome the Apostolic Father had a dream in which he was
advised by an angel to receive him with the highest honours, because he had
been dhosen by God to bring the light of the Gospel to many souls: his purpose
in coming to Rome was to receive the digruty of the episcopate, and nothing
that he asked for was to be refused. The Apostolic Father, forewarned by this
admonition, received him with great joy and showed him every courtesy. And as
he discerned in him ardent faith, religious devotion and profound wisdom, he
appointed a day suitable for his consecration, when all the people would be
assembled together. Then he invited venerable priests to take part in the
ceremony, and, in accordance with apostolic tradition and with great solemnity,
he publicly consecrated him archbishop in the church of blessed Peter, Prince
of the Apostles.[l] At the same time, he called him Clement and invested him with
episcopal robes, conferring upon him the sacred pallium as a sign of his
office, like Aaron with the ephod. Moreover, whatever he desired or asked for
in the way of relics of saints[2] or liturgical vessels the Pope gave him
without hesitation, and so, fortified with the [9] apostolic blessing
and loaded with gifts, he was sent back, duly instructed, to his work of
preaching the Gospel.
[1] Alcuin has made a
mistake. The church meant is St. Cecilia in Trastevere. The day of consecration
was 22 November 695
[2] Several churches
still preserve the relics brought back from Rome by Willibrord, e.g. Emmerich
and Treves.
8
Having received the
blessing of the Holy See, the devoted preacher of God's Word returned with
inveased confidence to the King of the Franks. The king welcomed him with every
mark of esteem and then despatched him, armed with his authority to preach the Gospel,
more especially in the northern parts of his dominions, where, owing to the
scarcity of teachers and the obduracy of the inhabitants, the light of faith
shone less brightly. The more clearly the man of God saw the need of overcoming
the ignorance and arresting the spiritual famine in these districts, the more
vigorously he preached the Word of God. How great was the success which,
through the help of divine grace, attended his labours is attested even in
these days by the people whom in the cities, villages, and fortified towns he
brought to a knowledge of the truth and the worship of almighty God by his holy
admonitions. Other evidence is to be found in the churches which he built in
each place and in the communities of monks and nuns whom he gathered together
in various localities.
9
The man of God tried also
to propagate the Gospel teaching outside the boundaries of the Frankish
kingdom. He had the boldness to present himself at the court of Radbod, at that
time King of the Frisians and like his subjects, a pagan. Wherever he travelled
he proclaimed the Word of God without fear; but though the Frisian king
received the man of God in a kind and humble spirit, his heart was hardened
against the Word of Life. So when the man of God saw that his efforts were of
no avail he turned his missionary course towards the fierce tribes of the
Danes. At that time, so we are told, the Danish ruler was Ongendus,[l] a man
more savage than any wild beast and harder than stone, who nevertheless,
through divine intervention, received tbe herald of truth with every mark of
honour. But when the latter found that the people were steeped in evil
practices, abandoned to idolatry and indifferent to any hope of a better life,
he chose thirty boys from among them and hastily returned with them to the
chosen people of the Franks. On the journey he instructed the youths in
the [10] faith and baptized them, so that if they perished from the
long sea voyage or through the ambushes of the savage dwellers of those parts
he should suffer no loss in their regard. In this way he desired to anticipate
the aaft of the devil and to strengthen these redeemed souls by the sacraments
of the Lord.
[l] Ongendus has been
identified with Ongentheow of Beowulf.
10
Now whilst this energetic
preacher of the Word was pursuing his iourney he came to a certain island on
the boundary between the Frisians and the Danes, which the people of those
parts call Fositeland,[l] after a god named Fosite, whom they worship and whose
temples stood there. This place was held by the pagans in such great awe that
none of the natives would venture to meddle with any of the cattle that fed
there nor with anything else, nor dare they draw water from the spring that
bubbled up there except in complete silence. On this island the man of God was
driven ashore by a storm and waited for some days until the gale died down and
fair weather made it possible to set sail again. He set little store by the
superstitious sacredness ascribed to the spot, or by the savage cruelty of the
king, who was accustomed to condemn nolators of the sacred objects to the most
cruel death. Willibrord baptized three persons in the fountain in the name of
the Blessed Trinity and gave orders that some of the cattle should be
slaughtered as food for his company. When the pagans saw this they expected
that the strangers would become mad or be struck with sudden death. Noticing,
however, that they suffered no harm, the pagans, terrorstricken and astounded,
reported to the king what they had witnessed.
[1] Fositeland or
Heligoland.
11
The king was roused to
intense fury and had a mind to avenge on the priest of the living God the
insults which had been offered to his deities. For three whole days he cast
lots three times every day to find out who should die; but as the true God
protected his own servants, the lots of death never fell upon Willibrord nor
upon any of his company, except in the case of one of the party, who thus won
the martyr's crown. The holy man was then summoned before the king and severely
upbraided for having violated the king's sanctuary and offered insult to his
god. With unruffled calmness the preacher of the Gospel replied: "The
object [11] of your worship, O King, is not a god but a devil, and he
holds you ensnared in rank falsehood in order that he may deliver your soul to
eternal flre. For there is no God but one, who created heaven and earth, the
seas and all that is in them; and those who worship Him in true faith will
possess eternal life. As His servant I call upon you this day to renounce the
empty and inveterate errors to which your forebears have given their assent and
to believe in the one almighty God, our Lord Jesus Christ. Be baptized in the
fountain of life and wash away all your sins, so that, forsaking all wickedness
and unrighteousness, you may henceforth live as a new man in temperance,
justice and holiness. If you do this you will enjoy everlasting glory with God
and His saints; but if you spurn me, who set before you the way of life, be
assured that with the devil whom you obey you will suffer unending punishment
and the flames of hell." At this the king was astonished and replied:
" It is clear to me that my threats leave you unmoved and that your words
are as uncompromising as your deeds." But although he would not believe the
preaching of the truth, he sent back Willibrord with all honour to Pippin, King
of the Franks.
12
The latter was delighted
at his return and begged him to persevere in his divinely appointed task of
preaching the Word of God and to root out idolatrous practices and sow the good
seed in one place after another. This the devoted preacher strove to carry out
with characteristic energy. He traversed every part of the country, exhorting
the people in cities, villages and forts where he had previously preached the
Gospel to remain loyal to the faith and to their good resolutions. And as the
number of the faithful increased day by day and a considerable multitude of
believers came to the knowledge of God's Word, many began in their zeal for the
faith to make over to the man of God their hereditary properties. These he
accepted. Shortly afterwards he ordered churches to be built there, and he
appointed priests and deacons to serve them, so that the new converts should
have places where they could assemble on feast days and listen to wholesome
instruction and where they could learn the principles of the Christian religion
from those servants of God who had baptized [12] them. Thus the man
of God, favoured by divine grace, made increasing progress from day to day.
13
It came about, however,
that Pippin, King ofthe Franks, died,[l] and his son Charles became head of the
realm. [2] Charles brought many nations under the power of the Franks, and
among these were the Frisians, whose lands were added to his dominions after
the defeat of Radbod. At that time St. Willibrord was officially appointed to
preach to the Frisian people, and his episcopal see was fixed at the fortress
of Utrecht. Being given greater scope for the preaching of the Gospel, he now
attempted to bring into the Church by baptism the people that had recently been
won by the sword. He allowed no error or past ignorance to pass unnoticed and
lost no time in shedding upon them the light of the Gospel, so that soon among
that people the statement of the prophet was fulfilled: " In that place
where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, it shall be said unto them,
Ye are the sons of the living God." [Hos 1:10]
[1] Pippin died 14
December 714. At this juncture Radbod revolted, and during the disturbances that
followed Willibrord retired to his monastery at Echternach.
[2] Charles Martel, the
natural son of Pippin. He obliged Radbod to raise the siege of Cologne and then
attacked the Neustrians at Compiegne, 26 Sept 7rS, where he put them to rout.
It was during this time that St. Boniface arrived with his companions in
Utrecht, but, finding the conditions unpropitious for preaching, he returned
home.
14
Many miracles were also
wrought by dinne power through His servant. Whilst the ministry of preaching
the Gospel is to be preferred to the working of mirades and the showing of
signs, yet, because such miracles are recorded as having been performed, I think
mention of them ought not to be suppressed; and so that glory may be given to
God who vouchsafed them, I will insert them into this narrative, and in this
way what we know to have been achieved in former times may not be lost to
future ages. Thus, when the venerable man, according to his custom, was on one
of his missionary journeys he came to a village called Walichrum, [3] where an
idol of the ancient superstition remained. When [13] the man of God,
moved by zeal, smashed it to pieces before the eyes of the custodian, the
latter, seething with anger, in a sudden fit of passion struck the priest of
Christ on the head with a sword, as if to avenge the insult paid to his god.
But, as God was protecting His servant, the murderous blow did him no harm. On
seeing this, Willibrord's companions rushed forward to kill the wicked man for
his audaciy. The man of God goodnaturedly delivered the culprit from their
hands and allowed him to go free. The same day, however, he was seized and
possessed by the devil and three days later he ended his wretched life in
rnisery. And thus, because the man of God followed the Lord's comrnand and was
unwilling to avenge the wrongs done to him, he was vindicated all the more by
the Lord Himself, just as He had said regarding the wrongs which the wicked
inflicted upon His saints: "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the
Lord."
[3] Walichrum, where
during the Roman occupation the goddess Nehelamia, protectress of navigation,
had been worshipped. A later tradition at Echternach placed the scene of this
story at Westcapelle and said that traces of Willibrord's blood could still be
discovered. At this place a votive stone of Hercules Magusanus has been found.
15
On another occasion, when
the blessed man was on his way to a cell belonging to him called Susteren, from
the name of the stream that flows past it, he took a narrow path running
through the cornfields of a certain wealthy landowner. When the keeper of the
fields saw this he was furious and began to revile the man of God. Those who
accompanied him [Willibrord] wanted to punish the man for insulting him, but
the senant of God mildly restrained them, not wishing that anyone should perish
on his account, since his whole happiness lay in bringing salvation to all.
When he found it impossible to calm the fury of the foolish man, Willibrord did
not persist but returned by the way he had come. Next day, however, the wretch
who had not feared to heap insults upon the servant of God was struck down on
that very spot with sudden death before a crowd of onlookers.
16
Whilst the divinely
inspired man in his urgent desire to preach the Gospel was travelling through
the coastal regions where the people were suffering from the lack of fresh
water he noticed that his companions could hardly bear the pangs of thirst. So
he called one of them and bade him dig a small trench inside his tent. There,
upon his knees, he secretly prayed to God that He, who had brought forth water
from the rock for his people whilst [14] they were in the desert,
would with like compassion bring forth water for his servants from the sandy
soil. At once his prayer was heard and a spring of sweet water straightway
filled the trench. His followers on seeing this gave thanks to God, who in this
manner had glorified His saint and condescended to hear his prayer. And when
they had drunk their fill they took with them as much water as they thought
would satisfy their needs on the journey that lay before them.
17
Again, when the holy
priest of God was pursuing his way in a certain place, he saw twelve poor
beggars asking alms from the passersby. Being extremely kindhearted, he gazed
on them with compassion and bade one of his companions take his own flask and
give a drink to Christ's poor. All the twelve drank from it as much as they would,
and the remarkable fact was that as the company went on their way they found
that the flask from which so many had drunk was just as full as it was before
of the most excellent wine. When they discovered this they all blessed the
Lord, saying: " Indeed, the saying of Christ in the Gospels "Give and
it shall be given unto you" [Lk 6:38] has been fulfilled."
18
Once, the saintly man
came to his monastery [at Echternach][l] to make a visitation, and after
praying to God, greeting the brethren and speaking peaceably with them, the
holy father went round the cells of each one of the brothers to see if anything
in them might be improved. On going into the storehouse, he found there only a
small supply of wine in one cask, into which, as a sign of his blessing, he
thrust his staff, praying the while, and then went out. The same night, the
wine in the cask began to rise to the brim and then to overfiow. When the
steward noticed it he was astounded at the unexpected increase, and, knowing it
to have been wrought by God's mercy through the blessing of His servant, he did
not dare to keep it secret. Next morning, he ran after the holy father and,
falling at his feet, reported what he had seen. Willibrord, as usual, gave
thanks to God, but, bearing in mind our Lord's command to His disciples not to
make public the glory of the Transfiguration before the day of the
Resurrection [15] he forbade the steward to speak to anyone of the
miracle he had wimessed until the day of his [Willibrord's] death.
[1] The property for this
foundation had been given to Willibrord in 714 by Plectrude, wife of Pippin II.
19
A further miracle of the
same kind was wrought by Christ our God through Willibrord's blessing. On one
occasion the servant of God came with his companions to the house of a friend
of his and wished to break the tedium of the long journey by taking a meal at
his friend's house. But it came to his ears that the head of the house had no
wine. He gave orders that four small flasks, which were all that his companions
carried with them for their needs on the journey, should be brought to him.
Then he blessed them in the name of Him who at the marriage feast of Cana
changed water into wine-and, remarkable to relate, after this gracious blessing
about forty people drank their fill from these small bottles, and with great
thanksgiving and joyful hearts said one to another: " The Lord Jesus has
in truth fulfilled His promise in the Gospel: ' He that believeth in me will do
the deeds I do, and greater than these shall he do.' "
20
Once, when this holy
preacher was going in haste towards Frisia in order, as usual, to preach the
Gospel, he wanted to pasture his horses, worn out by the fatigue of the
journey, in the meadows of a certain wealthy landowner. The man, seeing horses
feeding in his meadows, began to beat them and drive them out of his pastures
with great arrogance. The man of God accosted him with peaceable words and
said: " Brother, do us no harm. Our purpose in wishing to rest in these
meadows is not to do you harm but to meet our own needs. We are under
obligation to pursue the work of God, and you also might share in its rewards
if, as far as lies in your power, you help us in a friendly spirit, mindful of
the sweet promise of Christ: ' He that receiveth you, receiveth me, and he that
receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me.' Be at peace, and rather as a friend
take a drink with us by way of refreshment. Then when we have gone on our way,
return to your house with the blessing of God." The man, however,
persisted in his illwill and would not listen to the reasonable words of the
man of God, but, on the contrary, repeated his abuse and continued to insult
him. " You ask me to drink with you," he said, "and make peace:
be assured that I set no store [16] whatever upon drinking with
you." The man of God took the words out of his mouth and said: "If
you will not drink with me, then do not drink at all."Thereupon, as soon
as his companions were ready, he went on his way. The obstinate man also
hurriedly went home, but was seized almost at once with a burning thirst which
he tried in vain to assuage with wine, for the mouth that had cast reproaches
upon the man of God was unable to swallow a single draught. Thus the man who
would not of his own accord make peace with the servant of God was now
compelled to bear within himself the penalty of his fault. Doctors were called
to relieve his thirst and to restore to the sufferer his power of drinking. His
whole being cried out for relief, but no one could get a drop of wine to reach his
parched throat. At last, struck with remorse, he came to his senses, and,
discovering that the saintly man he had reviled was Willibrord, he began to
yearn intensely for his return. In the following year, Willibrord came back by
the same way, and on hearing of his approach the sick man hurried out to meet
him. Confessing his sin and telling him of the suffering he had endured, he
besought him for the love of Christ to release him from it. The man of God was
moved with pity, released him from his punishment and allowed him to drink from
his own cup. Thereupon the man who was released drank and returned to his own
house cured.
21
In the town of Treves
there is a convent of nuns,[l] which in the days of Willibrord was visited with
a terrible plague. Many of the nuns died of the infection, others were confined
to bed by severe sickness, whilst the rest were in a state of extreme terror,
expecting death at any moment. At a short distance from this town stands the
monastery of the holy man, called Echternach, in which his body reposes to this
day and which his successors are known to have held by lawful bequest of the
said father and through the goodwill of pious kings. Learning that the holy man
was coming thither, the women of the abovementioned convent sent a deputation
beseeching him to come to them without delay. When he heard their request, the
man of God, instructed by the gracious [17] example of St. Peter,
Prince of the Apostles, who went from Joppa to Lydda at the request of the
widows of Christ in order to raise holy Tabitha to life, went to their
assistance without delay. On arriving at the convent, he immediately celebrated
Mass for the sick and then blessed water and ordered it to be sprinkled about
the buildings and given to the nuns to drink. Through the mercy of God they
speedily recovered and there were no more deaths in that convent from the
plague.
[1] Probably St. Marienad Martyres,
where the portable altar of St. Willibrord is still preserved.
22
It happened that a head
of a family and his household were afflicted by a terrible visitation of
devilish sorcery, and it became quite obvious from the horrors and evil tricks
that occurred there that the house was haunted by a wicked spirit. For it would
suddenly sieze food and clothing and other household goods and throw them into
the fire. Once, indeed, whilst the parents were asleep, it snatched their
little boy as he rested in their arms and hurled him into the fire, and it was
only with great difficulty that the parents, roused by the child's screams,
rescued him from the flames. Many were the ill turns that the family had to
endure at the hands of this execrable spirit and no priest was able to exorcize
it. Eventually the holy man Willibrord, at the father's urgent request, sent
them some holy water and directed them to sprinkle it over all the furniture
after it had been taken out of doors, for the man of God foresaw that the whole
house would be consumed by fire. When they had done this, a conflagration broke
out in the very place where the bed had stood, and, quickly enveloping the
house, reduced it to ashes. After another house had been built on the site of
the old one and blessed with holy water the family suffered no more from their
former trial and thenceforth lived in peace, giving thanks to the Lord who had
deigned to deliver them through the hands of His servant.
23
The same holy man, who
was pleasing to God, also prophesied certain things that were subsequently
verified by the course of events. He baptized Pippin the Short, son of the valiant
Charles Martel, King of the Franks and father of the present illustrious
Charles, who governs the Franks at the present day in triumph, dignity and
glory. Of Pippin, father of the last named, Willibrord uttered the following
prediction in the presence of his [18] disciples: "Know that
this child will be highly exalted and renowned. He will be greater than all the
kings of the Franks who have gone before him." The truth of this prophecy
has been fulfilled in our times and there is no need to prove what is
universally acknowledged throughout the whole kingdom. For all the people know
what wonderful victories this illustrious conqueror has gained, how widely he
has extended the bounds of his empire, how devotedly he has promoted the
Christian religion and how he has defended the Holy Church of God abroad. All
these things can be more clearly seen with the eye than set forth in words.
24
Now this holy man was
distinguished by every kind of natural quality: he was of rniddle height,
dignified mien, comely of face, cheerful in spirit, wise in counsel, pleasing
in speech, grave in character and energetic in everything he undertook for God.
His forbearance is shown by the actions we have recorded above. How great was
his zeal in preaching the Gospel of Christ and how he was sustained in the
labour of preaching by the grace of God we need not set forth in writing, since
it is vouched for by the testimony of all. His personal life can be inferred
from his vigils and prayers, his fasting and singing of psalms, the holiness of
his conduct and his many miracles. His charity is made manifest in the
unremitting labours which he bore daily for the name of Christ.
This holy man, who
progressed every day of his life in the work of God, who was pleasing to God
and friendly to all the people, was laid to his fathers in the time of the
elder Charles, the valiant ruler of the Franks. He was then an old man coming
to the end of his days and was about to receive from God a generous reward for
his labours. He forsook this world to take possession of heaven and to behold
Christ for ever in eternal glory, in whose love he had never ceased to labour
as long as he lived in our midst. On the sixth of November, that is, the eighth
day before the Ides, he passed from this place of pilgrimage to the eternal
country and was buried in the monastery of Echternach, which, as we have said
before, he had built to the glory of God. There to this day, through the mercy
of God, miracles of healing are constantly performed beside the relics of the
holy priest of God. That some of these should be appended to our account of his
life we regard [19] as redounding to the glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who so often deigned to perform them at the request of His servant.
25
His venerable body was
laid to rest in a marble sarcophagus, which at first was found to be six inches
too short to hold the entire body of God's servant. The brethren were greatly
concerned at this, and, being at a loss to know what to do, they discussed the
matter again and again, wondering where they could find a suitable restingplace
for his sacred remains. Wonderful to relate, however, through the lovingkindness
of God the sarcophagus was suddenly discovered to be as much longer than the
holy man's body as previously it had been shorter. Therein they laid the
remains of the man of God, and to the accompaniment of hymns and psalms and
every token of respect it was interred in the church of the monastery which he
had built and dedicated in honour of the Blessed Trinity. A sweet and marvellous
fragrance filled the air, so that all were conscious that the ministry of
angels had been present at the last rites of the holy man.
26
The death of the holy man
was revealed to one of his religious disciples who was stationed at some
distance from the monastery as he was keeping watch in prayer. He testifies
that he saw the soul of his saintly father surrounded by a bright radiance as it
was being carried by a host of angels towards the realms above, all singing his
praises. Likewise many of the brothers have testified that they have frequently
seen a wonderful light over the bed on which he gave back his blessed soul to
his Creator, and perceived there a ravishing fragrance and most sweet odour.
From these signs one can only surmise that the denizens of heaven used to visit
the spot from which his saintly soul had passed to the Lord.
27
Many sick persons,
through the grace of God and assisted by their own faith, have been cured after
being anointed with the oil from the lamp which burns over the relics of the
holy man. Penitents also frequently came to the church wearing rings on their
arms,[l] as the custom then was, and the links were broken and they were loosed
from their bonds. Evidence of this are the rings which hang in the church to
this day.
[1] It was the custom to
fasten iron rings on the limbs of penitents as a sign of their repentence.
28
[20] There was a
certain woman suffering from paralysis and who had been tormented for seven
years with severe pain, whose infirmity had increased so much from day to day
that she had completely lost the use of her limbs and had to rely upon the help
of others. So frail was she that she could scarcely breathe. This woman was
carried by her relatives to the church in which the saint of God lay at rest
and placed near the casket of his relics. There, with many tears, she prayed
that God in His mercy might have pity on her tbrough the intercession of His
holy servant. Her prayer was heard by the Lord our God, and suddenly she was
delivered from all her infirmities and restored to health. And she, who had
previously been carried into the church by others, ran home upon her own feet,
joyfully giving thanks to God.
29
In like manner a young
man afflicted with sickness was brought by his friends to the body of the
blessed prelate. He trembled in every limb and was totally unable to raise his
head, which lolled and twisted this way and that as if it had not been fixed on
his neck. Sometimes, too, he became so inert as to appear completely lifeless.
This young man, as we have said, was placed near the body of the saint by his
friends, and through the mercy of God was so quickly cured, in the presence of
all the onlookers, that no trace remained of his former infirmity and longstanding
affliction.
30
A certain man who held
the office of deacon in the church of the saint though he was quite unworthy of
it) did not scruple to steal, among other things that had been offered to the
church, a golden cross which the holy man used to carry with him on his
travels. The brethren were distressed at this, and, though ignorant of the
perpetrator of this sacrilege, they felt confident that through the prayers of
the saint of God so heinous a crime could not long be concealed. They tried,
nevertheless, in their brotherly kindness to bring the culprit to repentance,
not wishing to encompass his downfall. But the man who had committed the crime
hardened his heart and despised his own salvation, even as, according to
Solomon, " the wicked man continues when he comes to the depths of his
evil deeds ". The unhappy wretch thought that the deed, which had been
committed in secret and unseen by [21] others, would remain
undetected, but it could not be hidden from the eye of God, to whom all things
lie open and who is often not slow to avenge the wrongs done to His servants.
For the miserable wretch who had not scrupled to commit the offence was
suddenly seized with sickness and died a miserable death, and in his dying
moments confessed his guilt to some of the brethren and divulged the place
where he had hidden the stolen objects. You see, brethren, what a fearful
judgment was visited upon the man who presumed to desecrate the church of God's
saint by stealing. I beseech you, therefore, to keep your manner of life pure
in this house, so that in His mercy and through the intercession of the
apostolic man St. Clement He may deign to hear your prayers when you make your
petitions, just as we have already told you how he heard the prayers of the
sick in this same church, enabling them to return home with the good health
they had long yearned for. Nor need we doubt that just as he deigned visibly to
heal their bodily diseases, so also through the intercession of the saint on
our behalf, whose body rests here and whom we believe to be present in the
spirit, listening to our prayers, he will continue daily to cure the hidden
disorders of our souls, if with flrm faith and sincere confession we pour out
our hearts with tears in that place before the merciful face of Him who in His
mercy is quick to pardon if we are not slow to ask. Praise and glory be His for
ever andl ever
31
It only remains now to
speak of blessed Wilgils, who, as we have said, was the father of this holy
man, for as the first chapter of this story began with him, so the last must
close with a reference to him. It was on the anniversary of the sacred death of
Wilgils that the good abbot Aldberct, successor to the venerable archbishop,
proposed to eat and rejoice with the brethren after the solemnities of the Mass
and the thanksgiving due to God. In the monastery, unfortunately, there were
left only two flagons of wine; and since one of them had been drunk at the
midday meal, the other was put by for supper. Accordingly, after Vespers had
been sung in honour of that day the brethren returned to the refectory; and
when they came to the end of the reading the abbot addressed [22] the
brethren with these words: " It is fiting, reverend Fathers, that we
should celebrate the feast days of our venerable predecessors with spiritual
rejoicing and should allow our bodies somewhat more indulgence than our usual
strictness permits, not from motives of glueony but of love. Now if there were
anything in the monastery that I could offer you beyond this single flagon of
wine which is left over from the midday meal I should certainly not withhold it
from you. But God is able through the prayer of His saints to make even this
prove more than sufficient for our needs, alike to honour them as to gladden
us, and to demonstrate to us, unworthy as we are, the kindly power of Him who
once through the blessing of our former father, the holy Willibrord,
condescended to satisfy forty men from four flagons. Let us drink what we have
with rejoicing and with hope."
After all the brethren
had drunk from the boule a first and a second time the server found it as full
as before. When the abbot was acquainted with this he joined the brethren in
giving thanks to God; and, doing honour to the divine mercy, they drank soberly
but gladly that night as much as they desired.
O happy father to beget
such a son and to be deemed worthy by God of having such an heir! In thee is
fulfilled the blessing which is read in Deuteronomy: "Blessed shalt thou
be, and blessed shall be the fruit of thy body."
Source:
C. H. Talbot, The
Anglo-Saxon Missionaries in Germany, Being the Lives of SS. Willibrord,
Boniface, Leoba and Lebuin together with the Hodoepericon of St.
Willibald and a selection from the correspondence of St. Boniface, (London and
New York: Sheed and Ward, 1954)
The copyright status of
this text has been checked carefully. The situation is complicated, but in sum
is as follows. The book was published in 1954 by Sheed & Ward, apparently
simultaneously, in both London and New York. The American-printed edition
simply gave 'New York' as place of publication, the British-printed edition
gave 'London and New York'. Copyright was not renewed in 1982 or 1983, as
required by US Law. The recent GATT treaty (1995?) restored copyright to
foreign publications which had entered US public domain simply because
copyright had not be renewed in accordance with US law. This GATT provision
does not seem to apply to this text because it was published simultaneously in
the US and Britain by a publisher operating in both countries (a situation
specifically addressed in the GATT regulations). Thus, while still under
copyright protection in much of the world, the text remains in the US public
domain.
Some years ago, a
collection of such hagiographical texts, including some texts from Talbot, was
published:-
Thomas F.X. Noble and
Thomas Head, Soldiers of Christ: Saint and Saints' Lives from Late
Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, (University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State
University Press, 1995).
Soldiers of Christ uses,
among others, the Talbot translated texts, but is much improved by additional
notes by the two editors, and by new translations of some parts. Readers from
outside the US should consult this volume, and readers in the US would find it
profitable to do so.
SOURCE : https://www.liturgies.net/saints/willibrord/alcuin.htm
San Villibrordo Vescovo
Northumbria, 658 -
Echternach (Lussemburgo), 7 novembre 739
A trent’anni ricevette
l’ordinazione sacerdotale, dopo di ché insieme a undici compagni si dedicò
all’evangelizzazione della Frisia (Paesi Bassi) e di una parte della Germania.
Anversa fu la prima residenza e il centro dell’apostolato di Villibrordo, fu
l’avamposto e forse il Seminario delle fondazioni di Utrecht. La consacrazione
episcopale, ricevuta a Roma, avvenne la domenica 24 novembre 695, antivigilia
della festa di S. Clemente. In quella occasione il papa dette al nuovo
arcivescovo il nome di Clemente. Per parecchi anni, senza un attimo di tregua,
percorse la Frisia, la Fiandra, il Lussemburgo e le rive del Reno predicando e
costruendo conventi. Dopo una vita dedicata alla preghiera e all’introduzione
di vescovi ausiliari la malattia e la vecchia rallentano e interrompono la sua
attività. Morì all’età di ottantuno anni. Qualche giorno dopo il suo corpo
viene deposto in sarcofago nei monasteri di Echternach.
Emblema: Bastone pastorale
Martirologio Romano: A
Echternach in Austrasia, nel territorio dell’odierno Lussemburgo, deposizione
di san Villibrordo, che, di origine inglese, ordinato vescovo di Utrecht dal
papa san Sergio I, predicò il Vangelo tra le popolazioni dell’Olanda e della Danimarca
e fondò sedi episcopali e monasteri, finché, gravato dalle fatiche e logorato
dall’età, si addormentò nel Signore in un cenobio da lui fondato.
L'evangelizzazione della Germania transrenana ebbe inizio nel VII secolo, sul finire dell'epoca merovingia, per opera dei monaci irlandesi e anglosassoni, e raggiunse il massimo sviluppo nel secolo seguente con l'azione missionaria di S. Bonifacio. Il primo a sbarcare in Frisia, nei Paesi Bassi, fu Vilfrido di York. Poi l'abate Egberto, un maestro di vita spirituale dell'epoca, vi mandò Villibrordo (Willibrord), oriundo della Northumbria, dov'era nato nel 658, il cui zelo per la diffusione del regno di Dio sarà l'unico incentivo della sua movimentata esistenza.
Questo monaco, che i biografi descrivono piccolo di statura, nero di capelli, di delicata costituzione, con occhi profondi e vivi, incarna il tipo ideale del monaco occidentale: un lavoratore che non conosce pause né crisi di scoramento, austero, prudente, leale, tenace, devoto al papa. Formatosi nell'abbazia inglese di Ripon, all'età di vent'anni si era recato in Irlanda per perfezionare la sua cultura teologica sotto la guida dell'abate Egberto, che a trent'anni lo consacrò sacerdote.
Dopo l'insuccesso della missione di Vilfrido, fu mandato con undici compagni in Frisia. La vittoria di Pipino di Heristal sul re Radbod nel 689 rese più facile l'impresa. Sbarcati all'imbocco dell'Escaut, una regione di terre acquitrinose, i missionari si diressero all'interno, accolti con grandi onori dal duca Pipino. Ma Villibrordo, prima di dare inizio alla sua opera di evangelizzazione, volle recarsi a Roma per avere il beneplacito del papa. Da Sergio I ebbe approvazione e incoraggiamento. Al rientro, il monaco scelse Anversa come centro del suo apostolato e come avamposto delle future fondazioni, tra cui la più celebre fu quella di Utrecht.
Per l'erezione della nuova diocesi in Frisia, Villibrordo si recò nuovamente a Roma, dove il papa Sergio I il 21 novembre 695 lo consacrò vescovo, col nome di Clemente (24 anni dopo Gregorio Il farà altrettanto col monaco sassone Vinfrido-Bonifacio). Da questo momento sarebbe arduo elencare tutti i viaggi dell'infaticabile missionario, dalle rive del Reno fino alla Danimarca. Fondato a Echternach (Lussemburgo) un piccolo convento, vi morì il 7 novembre 739 a ottantun anni di età.
Fu un uomo di azione e di preghiera e soprattutto un grande organizzatore con uno spiccato senso del comando, che gli consentì, grazie anche alla formazione di vescovi ausiliari (una novità per l'Occidente), di evitare il frazionamento delle varie Chiese con la conseguente dispersione dell'attività pastorale.
Autore: Piero Bargellini
SOURCE : http://www.santiebeati.it/Detailed/76600.html
SOURCE : http://www.bartleby.com/210/11/071.html
Saint Willibrord de Northumbrie, Apôtre de la Frise, évêque : http://stmaterne.blogspot.ca/2008/11/saint-willibrord-aptre-en-frise.html
