Saint Ansbert of Rouen | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Ansbert in stained glass at Rouen Cathedral | |
| Born | Chaussy-sur-Epte |
| Died | c. 695 Hautmont |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church [1] [2] |
| Canonized | Pre-Congregation |
| Feast | 9 February |
Ansbert (died c. 695), sometimes called Ansbert of Chaussy, was a Frankish monk, abbot and bishop of Rouen, today regarded as a saint in the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church.
Ansbert was born at Chaussy-sur-Epte, a village in the Norman historical area known as the Vexin. [3] He was born to a noble family, and was highly educated. [4] He had a significant professional career, and is said to have served as a senior member of the court of the Merovingian king, Clotaire III. [4] [5] As such, he was both chancellor and referendary.
Ansbert was engaged to be married to another future saint, Angadrisma. [5] [6] Her father, said to have been another of Clotaire's chancellors, [6] arranged for her to wed his colleague, but Angadrisma – later a patroness of nuns – prayed for release from this obligation. Tradition states that dispensation was given to her after she was "struck down with leprosy", [7] a disfiguring malady which only disappeared when she joined a convent. [6] [7] Some sources state that Ansbert later took a different bride. [7] [8]
In 673, the same year Clotaire died, Ansbert renounced his secular pursuits and became a monk of the Benedictine order. Six years later, he was elevated to abbot of his monastery, the illustrious Fontenelle Abbey. He followed two other saints in that office: Wandrille, the abbey's founder and first abbot, and Lambert, the second abbot, who vacated the office when he was named bishop of Lyons. [4] [5] [9] [10] Under his leadership, Fontenelle prospered. His enterprises included a great expansion and refinement of the abbey's library, [5] and the establishment of local hospitals for the poor. [4] [11]
During his time as abbot, Ansbert served as the confessor to King Theodoric III. [5] After several years, Ansbert was appointed archbishop of Rouen following the death of the previous officeholder, Saint Ouen, in 683 or 684. [4] [5] His former mentor Saint Lambert performed his consecration, [4] and Ansbert was succeeded as abbot at Fontenelle by Hildebert (d. 701), who is also venerated as a saint. [12]
Despite his high office and eminent reputation, Ansbert was removed from the bishopric around the year 690. [13] By "a false accusation", [5] the powerful majordomo of the Frankish court, Pepin of Heristal, arranged his dismissal, either because of some kind of political opposition [13] or because Ansbert's "zeal was not well-received" and "his austere life caused offence". [4] He was sent into exile at the monastery of Hautmont where he stayed until his death, sometime between 692 and 695. [4] [13] At some time Pepin apparently reconsidered his actions and agreed to allow Ansbert to return, but either he changed his mind again [13] or Ansbert died before making the trip. [4]
After his death, Ansbert's body was transferred to Fontanelle, where witnesses claimed the following:
"When they had opened his tomb and they thought his body would stink because of the amount of time that had elapsed since it had been buried, such a sweet fragrant odor like a diversity of flowers flowed forth, and the whole church was filled with little drops of balsam. And when the brothers who had come to see him from the neighboring province... removed the clothes in which he had been buried because they wanted to change them wishing to dress him in new clothes, they found on his forearms the sign of the dominical cross, bearing the likeness of a red color. It was evident to all the faithful that this was given to be understood that while he lived he bore the arms of Christ in his heart, therefore, Christ's stigmata were revealed on the body of the dead man." [14]
The 12th-century chronicler Ordericus Vitalis relays a tale in which it was said that Ansbert's remains were desecrated and dispersed by soldiers of Hugh the Great. He asserts that the bones in question belonged to a different Ansbert, and that those of the saint were, at the time of his writing, still preserved safely at Fontenelle Abbey. [15] The 18th-century author Alban Butler, however, states that the remains were at some point transferred to St. Peter's Abbey in Ghent, where they were destroyed by Calvinists in 1578. [5]
A collective day of remembrance for all the many saints associated with Fontenelle Abbey is celebrated on 1 March. [16] Saint Ansbert's own annual feast day is 9 February. [8] [12]
The Chancellor of France, also known as the Grand Chancellor or Lord Chancellor, was the officer of state responsible for the judiciary of the Kingdom of France. The Chancellor was responsible for seeing that royal decrees were enrolled and registered by the sundry parlements, provincial appellate courts. However, since the Chancellor was appointed for life, and might fall from favour, or be too ill to carry out his duties, his duties would occasionally fall to his deputy, the Keeper of the Seals of France.
Adalard of Corbie was the son of Bernard who was the son of Charles Martel and half-brother of Pepin; Charlemagne was his cousin. He is recognised as a saint within the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church.
Wulfram of Sens or Wulfram of Fontenelle was the Archbishop of Sens. His life was recorded eleven years after he died by the monk Jonas of Fontenelle. However, there seems to be little consensus about the precise dates of most events whether during his life or post mortem.
Audoin, venerated as Saint Audoin, was a Frankish bishop, courtier, hagiographer and saint. He authored Vita Sancti Eligii which outlines the life and deeds of Eligius, his close friend and companion in the royal court and the Church.
Fontenelle Abbey or the Abbey of St. Wandrille is a Benedictine monastery in the commune of Rives-en-Seine. It was founded in 649 near Caudebec-en-Caux in Seine-Maritime, Normandy, France.
Hugh was the son of Duke Drogo of Champagne and his wife Anstrudis. He entered the church and became archbishop of Rouen in 722.
Lydia of Thyatira is a woman mentioned in the New Testament who is regarded as the first documented convert to Christianity in Europe. Several Christian denominations have designated her a saint.
Saint Ansegisus was a monastic reformer of the Franks.
Dom Joseph Pothier, O.S.B. (1835–1923) was a worldwide known French prelate, liturgist and scholar who reconstituted the Gregorian chant.
John the Dwarf, also called John Colobus,John Kolobos or Abba John the Dwarf, was a Coptic Desert Father of the early Christian church.
Eugendus was the fourth abbot of Condat Abbey, at Saint-Claude, Jura.
Angadrisma was a 7th-century abbess and saint, daughter of Robert I, Bishop of Tours.
Leutfridus was a French monk and saint of the eighth century.
Eustace of Luxeuil, also known as Eustasius, was the second abbot of Luxeuil from 611. He succeeded his teacher Columbanus, to whom he had been a favorite disciple and monk. He had been the head of the monastic school.
Sigo was a Burgundian abbot of the sixth century. He is a saint of the Roman Catholic Church, an Orthodox saint and the reputed founder of the Abbey of Saint-Seine and in the Orthodox Church.
Waningus was a Merovingian count and royal official under Clotaire III. He assisted Wandrille in establishing Fontenelle Abbey, and later founded Fécamp Abbey. He is recognized as a Christian saint.
Saint Lambertus , (625-688), Abbot of Abbey of Fontenelle and Bishop of Lyon (678-688). His feast day is celebrated on 14 April. He was son of Erlebert and so nephew of Robert I, Bishop of Tours. He was born in Quernes where his father was seigneur.
Saint Agilus was a Frankish nobleman who became a Christian missionary in Bavaria and later was abbot of Rebais monastery near Paris, France. He was considered a saint, and his feast day is 30 August.
Saint Geremarus was a Frankish monk and abbot. His feast day is 24 September.
Saint Bain, a disciple of Saint Vandrille, was a bishop of Thérouanne in northwest France, and then abbot of the monastery of Saint Wandrille in Normandy. His feast day is 20 June.
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