Interesting saints of (medieval) today
Feb. 18th, 2010 03:25 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stitchwhich I thought I'd do this in honor of the Lenten Observance of my friends.
Angilbert of Centula (d. 814) was a Frank of noble parentage who was educated at the royal court, where his tutors included Peter of Pisa and Paulinus not-yet-of Aquileia. He was a lifelong friend of the slightly older Charlemagne. An early appointment was as primicerius palatiae for Charlemagne's son Pepin, king of Italy. Later Angilbert was head of the place school at Aachen and, along with Alcuin of York and Theodulf of Orléans, a leading court poet. There he was known as “Homer”. He was especially close with Charlemagne's unmarried daughter Bertha, by whom he had two children (one being the historian Nithard). After a “nasty experience with some Vikings” (when prayers for a successful resistance to a Danish invasion were answered when a storm scattered the Danish fleet), he turned to religion while Bertha became a nun at the same time. In about 789 Charlemagne made Angilbert abbot of the great monastery at Centula, later St.-Riquier and now St.-Riquier-sur-Somme (Somme) in Picardy. Angilbert endowed this house with buildings and with books and instituted the laus perennis (continuous choir service where the praise of God would not cease, day or night). He also continued to serve Charles as a diplomatic emissary in ecclesiastical matters, making four trips to Rome on behalf of his monarch and serving as Charlemagne's executor of will after Charles' death.
He was buried in the abbey church. In 842 he was given what appears to have been an elevatio, at which time, according to his son Nithard (who was also a monk of this house and who later became its abbot), his body was found to be incorrupt. He was canonized by Paschal II in 1100.
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Theotonius (d. 1166) Theotonius was from Galicia. He was educated at Coimbra (Portugal) and became archpriest of Viseu before resigning to go on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. On his return he became an Augustinian canon. He became famous for his preaching skill and general holiness. He became one of the founding members of the Augustinian canonry of St. Cruz at Coimbra, soon becoming prior and then in 1131, abbot. He was offered a bishopric but refused it. He was highly regarded by the first king of Portugal.
When about to celebrate mass at the palace of the Count(king) of Portugal, he received a note from the queen, asking him if he would mind abbreviating the mass that day, as she was very busy; he said that he was serving a greater Queen than herself, and that she was free to leave at any time but that he would honor the heavenly Queen with due observance; the queen, penitent, remained for the entire service, and then cast herself at his feet and begged his forgiveness. Theotonius was canonized in 1630.
Angilbert of Centula (d. 814) was a Frank of noble parentage who was educated at the royal court, where his tutors included Peter of Pisa and Paulinus not-yet-of Aquileia. He was a lifelong friend of the slightly older Charlemagne. An early appointment was as primicerius palatiae for Charlemagne's son Pepin, king of Italy. Later Angilbert was head of the place school at Aachen and, along with Alcuin of York and Theodulf of Orléans, a leading court poet. There he was known as “Homer”. He was especially close with Charlemagne's unmarried daughter Bertha, by whom he had two children (one being the historian Nithard). After a “nasty experience with some Vikings” (when prayers for a successful resistance to a Danish invasion were answered when a storm scattered the Danish fleet), he turned to religion while Bertha became a nun at the same time. In about 789 Charlemagne made Angilbert abbot of the great monastery at Centula, later St.-Riquier and now St.-Riquier-sur-Somme (Somme) in Picardy. Angilbert endowed this house with buildings and with books and instituted the laus perennis (continuous choir service where the praise of God would not cease, day or night). He also continued to serve Charles as a diplomatic emissary in ecclesiastical matters, making four trips to Rome on behalf of his monarch and serving as Charlemagne's executor of will after Charles' death.
He was buried in the abbey church. In 842 he was given what appears to have been an elevatio, at which time, according to his son Nithard (who was also a monk of this house and who later became its abbot), his body was found to be incorrupt. He was canonized by Paschal II in 1100.
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Theotonius (d. 1166) Theotonius was from Galicia. He was educated at Coimbra (Portugal) and became archpriest of Viseu before resigning to go on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. On his return he became an Augustinian canon. He became famous for his preaching skill and general holiness. He became one of the founding members of the Augustinian canonry of St. Cruz at Coimbra, soon becoming prior and then in 1131, abbot. He was offered a bishopric but refused it. He was highly regarded by the first king of Portugal.
When about to celebrate mass at the palace of the Count(king) of Portugal, he received a note from the queen, asking him if he would mind abbreviating the mass that day, as she was very busy; he said that he was serving a greater Queen than herself, and that she was free to leave at any time but that he would honor the heavenly Queen with due observance; the queen, penitent, remained for the entire service, and then cast herself at his feet and begged his forgiveness. Theotonius was canonized in 1630.
