Saint
Chrodegang de Metz,
vitrail de la chapelle Sainte-Glossinde de Metz.
Saint Chrodegang, évêque
Né vers 712 en Belgique, dans
le pays de Hesbaye, Chrodegang fut élevé au monastère bénédictin de Saint-Trond
où il apprît à connaître la règle de saint Benoît. Il suivit d’abord la
carrière civile et fut chancelier de Charles Martel. Il conserva cette charge
sous Pépin-le-Bref, même après sa nomination au siège épiscopal de Metz, le 1er
octobre 742.
A la mort de saint Boniface, à partir de 754, il remplaça celui-ci comme légat du pape en Germanie et continua son œuvre d’évangélisation. Attentif à la vie de ses prêtres, il ranima chez eux l’esprit de ferveur et organisa les chanoines de sa cathédrale sous le mode canonial. Il montra le même zèle pour l’observance religieuse dans les monastères de son vaste diocèse et fonda, vers 749, la célèbre abbaye de Gorze, qui deviendra ensuite un chef d’Ordre. En 752, il fut choisi par Pépin pour une ambassade délicate auprès du Pape Etienne II, menacé par les Lombards. Les chantres qu’il ramena de Rome furent à l’origine de l’école grégorienne de Metz dont il est considéré comme le fondateur. De Rome également, il ramena les usages liturgiques. Il eut part à presque toutes les affaires importantes de son temps. Il mourut le 6 mars 766. Son corps fut inhumé dans l’abbaye de Gorze.
La vie de Saint Chrodegang
Camille Paul Cartucci, Metz
La communauté de paroisses Sainte Thérèse-Saint
Symphorien a choisi comme patron commun st CHRODEGANG. Sa vie a été écrite
par Paul Diacre. Elle est étroitement liée à l'histoire de l'Austrasie, de la
fin des Mérovingiens à l'avènement des Carolingiens. Qui était celui qui fut,
comme pasteur, l'un des plus grands évêques de METZ ?
|
Saint CHRODEGANG naît en 712 près de Liège. Ses
parents sont des proches de Charles Martel, maire du palais. En 722, Chrodegang
a 10 ans. Il est placé pour ses études à l'abbaye belge de st Trond. En 732, à
20 ans, il est nommé à Metz, à la cour de Charles Martel, qui vient de
repousser les Arabes à Poitiers. En 737, à 25 ans, il devient chancelier de
Charles Martel. En 742, Chrodegang a 30 ans. Il ajoute à ses fonctions, après
la mort de Charles Martel, celle d'évêque de Metz. Il est ordonné le 1er
octobre. A 36 ans, en 748, il fonde, dans la solitude de vastes forêts,
l'abbaye de Gorze, soumise à la règle de st Benoît, avec des moines venus de
Rhénanie. Ils seront vite assez nombreux pour essaimer en Bavière et en Alsace.
En 752, Chrodegang a 40 ans. Pépin le Bref vient d'être sacré roi de France. Il
choisit Chrodegang pour une ambassade délicate à Rome auprès du pape Etienne
II, menacé par les Lombards. Chrodegang ramène le pape à st Denis, avec des
chantres qui furent à l'origine de l'école grégorienne de Metz, et l’accompagne
durant son séjour en Francie (de 753 à 755). Chrodegang est considéré comme le
fondateur de cette Schola Cantorum.. Le chant dit grégorien et les usages
liturgiques de Rome se répandirent dans tout le pays, malgré les hésitations du
clergé franc à délaisser les coutumes gallicanes.
Chrodegang assista à plusieurs conciles provinciaux:
en 753 par exemple, à celui de Verberie. En 754, il prit part au concile de
Quierzy-sur-Oise. De ce concile, il faut retenir une affirmation majeure pour
la théologie du salut : "Deus omnipotens omnes homines SINE EXCEPTIONE
salvos fieri vult". En 755, Chrodegang participe au concile de Verneuil
et, en 757, à celui de Compiègne. Les conciles réformateurs dénonçaient la
décadence du clergé. En 754, à 42 ans, Chrodegang publie une règle de vie des
chanoines, inspirée de st Augustin, et fait du chapitre de la cathédrale une
communauté régulière. Le terme de "chanoine" ou
"homme-canon" apparaît déjà en 536. Les prêtres de la ville
épiscopale étaient tenus à la vie commune et à l'office de chœur, tout en
menant une activité pastorale, notamment la prédication. Le regroupement du
clergé amena Chrodegang à construire des bâtiments communautaires, à embellir
la cathédrale et à restaurer plusieurs des 34 églises que comptait alors la
ville. Le pape en fait son légat pour les diocèses d'Austrasie. En 764,
Chrodegang reçoit du pape les reliques des saints martyrs romains, pour Gorze,
St Avold et Lorsch, près de Worms, en Bavière. A 54 ans, le 6 mars 766,
Chrodegang meurt à Metz, après "23 ans, 5 mois et 5 jours
d'épiscopat". Son corps est inhumé à l'abbaye de Gorze, à laquelle il
avait légué de grands biens.
Son nom offre bien des variantes: Chrodegangus,
Chrotgandus, Godegrand, Rotgandus, etc. La rue messine qui lui est dédiée
l'écrit Chrodegand. C'était aussi l'orthographe dans la liturgie du diocèse,
jusqu'à la récente réforme, où il est redevenu Chrodegang.
La fête liturgique de st Chrodegang fut longtemps
célébrée à l'anniversaire de sa mort, le 6 mars. Restant toujours éclipsée par
le carême, elle a été transférée au 3 octobre, anniversaire de son ordination
épiscopale.
Les reliques du saint furent transférées de Gorze à
l'abbaye messine de st SYMPHORIEN, pour des raisons de sécurité. Elles y furent
conservées jusqu'à la Révolution, où elles furent dispersées. Il en reste
aujourd'hui une part à la cathédrale.
La seule église diocésaine qui lui soit dédiée est
celle d'Althorn, dans le pays de Bitche, auquel on revient toujours.
En 1965, le diocèse de Metz célébra le 12èmecentenaire
de la mort de st Chrodegang, archevêque, 36èmesuccesseur de saint
Clément sur le siège épiscopal de Metz. On rappela alors le triple renouveau
dont l'évêque fut à l'origine: liturgique, pastoral et monastique. Chrodegang,
en fidèle disciple de st Benoît, voulait une liturgie diocésaine de qualité; il
recommandait à ses clercs, outre la vertu d'humilité, la fidélité quotidienne à
la "lectio divina", la lecture perm
Parole de Dieu et une
charité vraiment apostolique.
St. Chrodegang
(Called also CHRODEGAND,
GODEGRAND, GUNDIGRAN, RATGANG, RODIGANG and SIRIGANG).
Bishop of Metz, born at the beginning of the eighth century
at Hasbania, in what is now Belgian Limburg, of a noble Frankish family; died at Metz, 6 March, 766. He was educated at the court of Charles Martel, became his private secretary, then
chancellor, and in 737 prime minister. On 1 March, 742, he was appointed Bishop of Metz, retaining his civil office at the request of
Pepin. In his influential position St. Chrodegang laboured earnestly for the welfare
of Church and State, and was ever solicitous to
strengthen the bonds of union between the temporal and spiritual rulers. In his
diocese he introduced the Roman Liturgy and chant,
community life for the clergy of his cathedral, and wrote a special rule for them. He founded
(748) the Abbey of Gorze (near Metz), and remained its friend and protector. He
also established St. Peter's Abbey, on the Moselle, and did much for Gengenbach
and Lorsch. For the latter he is said to have obtained the relics of St. Nazarius, and for Gorze those of St. Gorgonius. In 753 he was sent by Pepin to Pope Stephen III to assure him of the sympathy of the Frankish rulers against the inroads of Aistulf, King of the Lombards. He accompanied the pope to Ponthieu. After the death of St. Boniface, Pope Stephen conferred the pallium on St. Chrodegang (754-755), thus making him
an archbishop, but not elevating the See of Metz. St. Chrodegang was buried in the Abbey of
Gorze. He was a man of imposing appearance, of a mild, though firm, character,
of great liberality to the poor, and of more than ordinary ability, well
versed in Latin and German. The rule containing thirty-four chapters which he
gave his clergy (c. 755) was modeled according to the rules of
St. Benedict and of the Canons of the Lateran (Mansi, XIV, 313; Hardouin, IV 1181; Migne, P.L., LXXXIX, 1097). Through it he gave a
might impulse to the spread of community life among the secular clergy. It was later increased to eighty-six chapters
(D'Archey, Spicilegium, I, 656). In 762, during a dangerous illness, he
introduced among his priests a confraternity of prayer known as the League of Attigny.
Mershman, Francis. "St. Chrodegang." The Catholic
Encyclopedia. Vol. 3. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 6 Mar. 2016 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03729b.htm>.
Transcription. This article was transcribed for
New Advent by Christine J. Murray.
Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. November 1, 1908. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of
New York.
March
6
St. Chrodegang, Bishop of Metz, Confessor
From Paul the Deacon, l. 2. de Gest.
Longob. c. 16. Henschenius, p. 453. Mabill. Annal. Ben. l. 22. t. 2. & Act
SS. Ord. Ben. t. 4. p. 184. Ceillier, t. 18. p. 176. His life, published by
George Von. Eckart, Hist. Franciæ
Orient. t. 1. p. 912. Also Meurisse, Hist. des Evêques de Metz, l. 2.
A.D. 766
THIS saint, nobly born in Brabant,
then called Hasbain, was educated in the abbey of St. Tron, and for his great
learning and virtue was made referendary, chancellor of France, and prime
minister, by Charles Martel, mayor of the French palace, in 737. He was always
meanly clad from his youth; he macerated his body by fasting, watching, and
hair-cloths, and allowed his senses no superfluous gratifications of any kind.
His charity to all in distress seemed to know no bounds; he supported an
incredible number of poor, and was the protector and father of orphans and
widows. Soon after the death of Charles Martel, he was chosen bishop of Metz,
in 742. Prince Pepin, the son and successor of Charles, uncle to our saint by
his mother, Landrada, would not consent to his being ordained, but on the
condition that he should still continue at the helm of the state. Chrodegang
always retained the same sweetness, humility, recollection, and simplicity in
his behaviour and dress. He constantly wore a rough hair-shirt under his
clothes, spent great part of the night in watching, and usually at his
devotions watered his cheeks with tears. Pope Stephen III. being oppressed by
the Lombards, took refuge in France. Chrodegang went to conduct him over the
Alps, and King Pepin was no sooner informed that he had passed these mountains
in his way to France, but he sent Charles his eldest son, to accompany him to
Pont-yon, in Champagne, where the king was to receive him. The pope being three
miles distant from that city, the king came to meet him, and having joined him
alighted from his horse, and prostrated himself, as did the queen, his
children, and the lords of his court; and the king walked some time by the side
of his horse to do him honour. The pope retired to the monastery of St. Denys;
and King Pepin, in the year 754, sent St. Chrodegang on an embassy to Astulph,
king of the Lombards, praying him out of respect to the holy apostles not to
commit any hostilities against Rome, nor to oblige the Romans to superstitions
contrary to their laws, and to restore the towns which he had taken from the
holy see; but this embassy was without effect. The saint, in 755, converted the
chapter of secular canons of his cathedral into a regular community, in which
he was imitated by many other churches. He composed for his regular canons a
rule, consisting of thirty-four articles. In the first he lays down humility
for the foundation of all the rest. 1 He obliged the canons to confess at
least twice a year to the bishop, before the beginning of Advent and Lent. 2 But these churches, even that of
Metz, have again secularized themselves. The saint built and endowed the
monasteries of St. Peter, that of Gorze, and a third in the diocess of Worms,
called Lorsh or Laurisham. He died on the 6th of March, in 766, and was buried
at Gorze, to which by his will, which is still extant, he demised several
estates. He is named in the French, German, and Belgic Martyrologies.
The zeal of St. Chrodegang in
restoring the primitive and apostolic spirit in the clergy, particularly their
fervour and devotion in the ministry of the altar, is the best proof of his
ardour to advance the divine honour. To pay to Almighty God the public homage
of praise and love, in the name of the whole church, is a function truly
angelical. Those, who by the divine appointment are honoured with this sublime
charge resemble those glorious heavenly spirits who always assist before the
throne of God. What ought to be the sanctity of their lives! how pure their affections,
how perfectly disengaged from all inordinate attachments to creatures,
particularly how free from the least filth of avarice, and every other vice! All Christians have a part in this
heavenly function.
Note 1. Ch. 14.
Note 2. See the other regulations abridged
in Fleury, &c. the entire rule published genuine in Le Cointe’s Annals, t.
5. and in the later editions of the councils.
Rev.
Alban Butler (1711–73). The
Lives of the Saints. Volume III : March. 1866.
Chrodegang of Metz B (AC)
Born at Hesbaye, Brabant, near Liege, in c. 712-15; died at Metz, March 6, 776. A near relative of Pepin the Short, Chrodegang was probably educated at Saint Trond Abbey and became Charles Martel's secretary and chancellor of France. Even then he went about in hair shirts and unostentatious clothing, fasting and praying, and many of the poor depended entirely upon his charity.
In 742, shortly after the death of Charles Martel, he became bishop of Metz though he was still a layman. So treasured was his advice by Martel's son Pepin the Short that Pepin refused to allow the saint to be consecrated until Chrodegang had promised to continue as his chief minister.
Thus, Chrodegang served as ambassador to Pope Stephen III for Pepin, mayor of the palace, and was very much involved in the coronation of Pepin as King of the Franks, the first Carolingian king, in 751, and in Pepin's defense of the papacy and Rome against the Lombards and his restoration of the exarchate of Ravenna, which he had won from the Lombards, to the Holy See.
Chrodegang's support for the papacy was of inestimable value at a time when the Lombards had managed to force the pope into exile. Chrodegang himself safely brought the pope over the Alps, and Pepin the Short welcomed him to France.
This bishop is of importance because of his continuation of the work of Saint Boniface of Crediton in reforming the Frankish Church. Chrodegang put into effect many ecclesiastical reforms in his see. In particular, he sought to raise the standard of the clergy by suitable education and by encouraging them, when possible, to live a common life together. For such communities he drew up a rule, based in part on that of Saint Benedict. This movement spread and was widely influential as the canons regular movement.
He was active in founding and restoring churches and monasteries, including the abbey of Gorze, Italy, in 748; introduced the Roman liturgy and Gregorian Chant in his see; and established a choir school at Metz, which became famous all over Europe. He also participated in several councils.
Pope
Stephen II having conferred on him archepiscopal rank, and having full support
of King Pepin the Short, he was able to get his reforms taken up in neighboring
dioceses. Saint Chrodegang, we are told, was a man of handsome appearance and
generous disposition, a ready writer in Latin and in his own tongue, a man
whose character and abilities eminently fitted him to carry on the work Saint
Boniface had begun (Attwater, Benedictines, Bentley, Delaney).
SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0306.shtml
Codregando operò una profonda riforma del clero, che versava in quel periodo in una profonda crisi morale. Deciso ad ntervenire nella difficile situazione, iniziò proprio dai preti della sua città: riunì dunque in alcune case tutti gli ecclesiastici e fissò per loro una regola di vita ispirata a quella di San Benedetto. Il codice che applicò a Metz si componeva di trentaquattro capitoli ed ogni giorno, alla presenza di tutta la comunità, se ne leggeva uno: da ciò tali incontri presero il nome di “capitolo”. Ben presto tale nome venne esteso alle persone che presenziavano alle letture, mentre tutti coloro che erano legati ai canoni vennero chiamati “canonici” e coloro i quali seguivano una regola presero a definirsi “regolari”.
Altre norme di vita comunitaria vennero inserite in seguito, riguardanti clausura, domicilio, studio, liturgia, abito e pasti, ed erano volte a fornire agli ecclesiastici un sostegno reciproco nel rimanere fedeli al voto di castità ed agli altri impegni propri del clero. La principale differenza dai frati stava nella possibilità di avere beni i loro proprietà, abitudine che comunque successivamente fu messa in discussione. La regola di Codregando fu poi adottata da altre diocesi ed infine estesa da Carlo Magno a tutti i sacerdoti, che furono così tenuti ad essere o monaci o canonici. Questa regola riscontrò successo anche all’estero e nel corso dei secoli tornò ripetutamente in auge, seppur non nella forma originaria.
Su iniziativa di Codregando a Metz si introdussero anche il rito ed il canto romano, il cui repertorio tornò a Roma arricchito dalle composizioni galllicane e da lì si diffuse in tutta Europa. Fu rinnovata la “schola cantorum” di Metz e la sua fama durò per secoli. Nell’805 Carlo Magno addirittura ordinò che tutti i maestri di canto dovessero formarsi a Metz. Il santo vescovo si distinse anche nella costruzione e nel restauro di chiese, monasteri ed istituti di carità. Alla sua morte, il 6 marzo 766, ricevette sepoltura presso l’abbazia di Gorze, che egli stesso aveva fondata ed amata più di ogni altra. La tradizione vuole che alcune sue reliquie siano conservate anche presso la chiesa di Saint-Symphorien di Metz.
Autore: Fabio Arduino
San Crodegando di Metz Vescovo
Hesbaye, Belgio, 712 – 6 marzo 766
Nacque
nel 712 a Hesbaye (Brabante) da Sigrammo e Landrada, ambedue nobili. Ricevuta
una solida formazione benedettina a venticinque anni nel 737, venne nominato
cancelliere del regno d’Austrasia. Il 30 settembre 742 venne consacrato vescovo
di Mets. Promosse la diffusione del monachesimo benedettino, fondando diverse
abbazie a Gorze nel 748,Gengenbach 741e altre. Si preoccupò molto del clero
secolare e promulgò il “ parvum decretulum n piccolo codice con il quale tentò
di riportare il clero alla retta via. Si recò a Roma nel 753 dove ricevette il
pallio. Presiedette a numerosi concili provinciali di Vernuel nel 755,
Compiègne nel 757 e Attigny. Morì il 6 marzo 766. Le sue reliquie si conservano
nel monastero di S. Sinforiano a Metz.
Martirologio
Romano: A Metz in Austrasia, nell’odierna Francia, san Crodegango, vescovo, il
quale dispose che il clero vivesse come tra le mura di un chiostro sotto una
esemplare regola di vita e promosse notevolmente il canto liturgico.
Codregando
nacque nel 712 ad Hesbaye, nei pressi di Liegi in Belgio, da una nobile
famiglia. I suoi genitori, di origine franca, lo fecero studiare presso
l’abbazia di Saint-Trond. Giovane di bell’aspetto, molto educato ed ottimo
linguista, Carlo Martello notò le sue grandi abilità e lo nominò capo del corpo
diplomatico e giuridico al suo servizio. Morto Carlo Martello, il suo
successore Carlo Magno nel 742 lo nominò anche vescovo di Metz. Codregando era
però ancora laico e dovette dunque ricevere le ordinazioni diaconale,
presbiterale e la consacrazione episcopale. Egli conservò inoltre la carica
politica e sfruttò il prestigio conseguito dall’esercizio dei due incarichi
sfruttò a fin di bene tutta la sua influenza. Quale ambasciatore di Pipino
presso il pontefice Stefano II, Codregando si ritrovò direttamente coinvolto
con la sconfitta dei longobardi in Italia, il passaggio alla Chiesa
dell’esarcato di Ravenna e di altri territori e la stessa incoronazione di
Pipino, avvenuta nel 754.
Codregando operò una profonda riforma del clero, che versava in quel periodo in una profonda crisi morale. Deciso ad ntervenire nella difficile situazione, iniziò proprio dai preti della sua città: riunì dunque in alcune case tutti gli ecclesiastici e fissò per loro una regola di vita ispirata a quella di San Benedetto. Il codice che applicò a Metz si componeva di trentaquattro capitoli ed ogni giorno, alla presenza di tutta la comunità, se ne leggeva uno: da ciò tali incontri presero il nome di “capitolo”. Ben presto tale nome venne esteso alle persone che presenziavano alle letture, mentre tutti coloro che erano legati ai canoni vennero chiamati “canonici” e coloro i quali seguivano una regola presero a definirsi “regolari”.
Altre norme di vita comunitaria vennero inserite in seguito, riguardanti clausura, domicilio, studio, liturgia, abito e pasti, ed erano volte a fornire agli ecclesiastici un sostegno reciproco nel rimanere fedeli al voto di castità ed agli altri impegni propri del clero. La principale differenza dai frati stava nella possibilità di avere beni i loro proprietà, abitudine che comunque successivamente fu messa in discussione. La regola di Codregando fu poi adottata da altre diocesi ed infine estesa da Carlo Magno a tutti i sacerdoti, che furono così tenuti ad essere o monaci o canonici. Questa regola riscontrò successo anche all’estero e nel corso dei secoli tornò ripetutamente in auge, seppur non nella forma originaria.
Su iniziativa di Codregando a Metz si introdussero anche il rito ed il canto romano, il cui repertorio tornò a Roma arricchito dalle composizioni galllicane e da lì si diffuse in tutta Europa. Fu rinnovata la “schola cantorum” di Metz e la sua fama durò per secoli. Nell’805 Carlo Magno addirittura ordinò che tutti i maestri di canto dovessero formarsi a Metz. Il santo vescovo si distinse anche nella costruzione e nel restauro di chiese, monasteri ed istituti di carità. Alla sua morte, il 6 marzo 766, ricevette sepoltura presso l’abbazia di Gorze, che egli stesso aveva fondata ed amata più di ogni altra. La tradizione vuole che alcune sue reliquie siano conservate anche presso la chiesa di Saint-Symphorien di Metz.
Autore: Fabio Arduino
