Heopenly
declared, that he could continue as a bishop, having grievously sinned against
morality and public decency.
declared, that he could continue as a bishop, having grievously sinned against
morality and public decency.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
The king appointed a day for both to dispute together, in his presence, so that he mightjudgebetweentheiroppositearguments.
Thenightbeforethismeet- ing took place, Boniface seemed, in a dream, to have wrestled with a bull, whose horns were broken off in the contest.
This dream seemed to him an augury of victory.
However, his disciples Lul, Sturm, and Megingaud thought it de- rogatory to the dignity of the holy bishop, to engage in dispute with such a
postor, and another called Clemens,
" Greater is he who rules over than he who us,
charlatan. Boniface
possessesthatman. " Inthemeetingwhichfollowed,Aldeber—twasconfused and confuted. los The fate of this man who —
replied
:
subsequent
to have caused great trouble and scandal to the Church in Germany does
not seem to be clearly ascertained. 100 The same council provided for the establishment of two great metropolitan centres, viz. , one at Rheims,107
,oS
over which Abel was placed as Archbishop, and another at Sens,
for which
Ardobert was appointed. It may be supposed, that several Sees had been
vacant, in these two provinces, or some may have been held by usurpers. The
last provision of this council decrees, that whoever disobeyed its canons should be judged and punished by the Prince and by his nobles, as well as by the
p.
102 He
belonged
to the Hibernian nation.
he met some swineherds, who murdered him. Some memorial of this event afterwards hung over the church door of St. Alban, which was situated on a mount, and sur- rounded by a valley, at the south side of the city. It was afterwards known as the New Tower, but, the church had disappeared. The Bollandist editor tells us, however, that a chapel dedicated to St. Boniface had been there erected by the Dean of Mayence, who owned a vineyard near it.
t0"
See Supplement to Willibald, cap. i. , sect. 3, p. 474, and nn. (m, n, o, p).
,07 For thirty-five this See had been years,
afflicted, owing to the expulsion of St. RigO' bert, and the intrusion of Milo, Archbishop of Treves. The latter was probably de- posed in this council.
,oS St. Ebbon ruled here as Archbishop, who probably resigned the See at this time, to lead a solitary life at Arce. He died A. D.
750.
See " Histoire Literaire de la France," tome
iv. , viii. Siecle, p. 105.
103 During the Pontificate of Zachary, they were condemned for adding the names of unknown spirits to the Ecclesiastical prayers, and those angels were called Uriel, Raguol, Tubuel, Inias, Tubuas, Sabaoth and Simiel. See Berti's " Ecclesiastics Historic Br£via- rium," Pars Prima, Octavum Ecclesiaa Secu- lum, cap. iii. , p. 193.
"
"*See l'Abbe Fleury's
siastique," tome ix. , liv. xlii. , sect, xxxvii. ,
288.
I05 It is stated, furthermore, that the king
delivered him to the judgment of Boniface, who had him degraded at Mayence ; he was afterwards taken to Fulda and cast into a dark prison of the monastery. At last, the wretched man escaped, and only brought with him a single covering, when wandering about the windings of the river near Fulda,
Histoire Eccle-
unhappy appears
June 5 . ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 1 7 1
about
in the interests of religion. He asks, that the pallium be sent to the Arch- bishops Abel and Ardobert, as also to Grimont, who was Archbishop of Rouen. HereferstothecondemnationofAdalbertandofClement,both of whom had been cast into prison. The Pope wrote in reply a letter, dated November 5th, 744, asking a reason, as to why Boniface only pressed for the pallium in the case of Grimont. He then takes occasion to refute a calumny, that had been circulated against himself. He also alludes to a pre- tended bishop in Bavaria, who falsely stated, he had been consecrated by the
Boniface refused to believe him, and he is commended for this dis- trust. Asking for faculties to preach in Bavaria, as given by the former Pope ; Zachary not only confirms but augments such powers for that province, and moreover, for the whole of Gaul, with the further instruction, that Boniface should correct all persons perverting the Faith or the Church Canons.
CHAPTER IV.
FOUNDATION OF FULDA MONASTERY—THE HERETICS ADALBERT AND CLEMENT—POPE ZACHARY WRITES TO ST. BONIFACE RECOMMENDING COLOGNE AS SUITABLE FOR BECOMING A METROPOLITAN CITY—SUBSEQUENT SELECTION OF MAYENCE AND DEPOSITION OF GEWILEIB—ST. BONIFACE CREATED ARCHBISHOP OF MAYENCE AND PRIMATE OF GERMANY—HIS JURISDICTION AND EPISCOPAL APPOINTMENTS— HIS LETTER TO KING ETHELBALD—PEPIN CHOSEN KING OF FRANCE—LETTER OF BONIFACE TO POPE ZACHARY—ST. BONIFACE CROWNS KING PEPIN AT SOISSONS— PEPIN DELIVERS ROME FROM THE LOMBARDS.
It constituted the head of a bishopric, and
Pope.
10^
Boniface took care to inform
the proceedings of this council, while praising the zeal of Carloman and Pepin,
bishops.
Moreover,
Pope Zachary,
x or
St. Boniface commenced * the foundation of the famous Abbey of Fulda, 5 near a river so called, in the midst of a vast forest ; and, ably seconded by a young Bavarian disciple, named Sturm,6 he soon brought the work to a satisfactory state of completion. The monastery was situated, about sixty- three miles, east-north-east from Maintz or Mentz, in a wood or village, called Grapfeld,7 in Buchonia. Soon, this place was destined to become a centre
Inthe aboutthe meantime,
year 742,
744
of religious life for Germany.
8
109 As the assembly had been composed habitants. It was the capital of a Grand
of ecclesiastical and lay representatives, so were temporal added to the spiritual penal-
Duchy, now incorporated with the Empire ofGermany. It was in the circle of the
now to the North German Duchy belonging
Empire.
6 He had previously lived for nine years,
with a few companions, in a desert place, known as Hersfelden.
1 It lay between Hesse and Thuringia.
ties. See 1'Abbe
siastique," tome ix. , liv. xlii. , sect, xxxvii. ,
Upper
arrangement, until the secularization of the ecclesiastical principalities of the German Empire took place, when it was ceded to Orange Nassau, and afterwards to the Grand Duke of Frankfort. In 1814, the principality was divided ; a district, containing 27,000 inhabitants being annexed to Saxe Weimar, while the rest was transferred to the king- dom of Prussia. Afterwards, Prussia ceded her portion to Hesse-Cassel, this Grand
pp. 288, 289. — Chapter iv.
*
Fleury's
See Rev. John Alzog's "Manual of Universal Church History,"
vol. ii. , Period 2, Epoch i. , Part i. , chap, i. , sect. 159, p. 87.
2
were laid during this year. See " Annales
According to Mabillon, its foundations
Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxii. , sect, i. , p. 125.
3 See Michaud's "
Ancienne et Moderne," tome v. , p. 5.
4 According to the " Chronicon " of Maria- nus Scottus, in 744.
5 The which has here city,
Biographie
Universelle
grown up around it, contains at present over 8,000 in-
" Histoire Eccle-
Rhine, and a in the old bishopric
2—someaccountshave 3— 746
172 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 5.
it grew to be the capital of a principality. The situation on the River of Fulda, which flows into the Weser, is a very delightful one ; woods, moun- tains, and rich arable lands, surrounding it, with some salt and medical
springs. Sturm was appointed Abbot, over the newly-established monastery of Fulda. There, Boniface placed a few monks,10 who followed the Rule of St. Benedict. " One of the most eloquent Prelates of the Church has set forth the career and the institute of this great Father of Western Monasticism, in
those glowing phrases, which distinguish the productions of that renowned orator. 12 The Patriarch of regular discipline, recognising how difficult it was to guide souls, and yet to accommodate rule according to the various disposi- tions of individuals, regards his Institute, as only a commencement towards perfecting the spiritual life ; while in reality, it is a learned and mysterious abridgment of the Gospel and of Christanity, as also of the maxims and counsels of the Holy Fathers, tending to perfection. ^ The history of St. Benedict and of his foundation on Monte Casino is most interesting. ^ The monks of St. Boniface laboured with their own hands, and did not avail them- selves of servants ; they lived in strict abstinence, using neither flesh, nor wine, nor beer. Owing to the generosity of Carloman/s King of the Franks, and other pious persons, the property at Fulda had been acquired. St. Boniface
dedicatedthatplacetoourLordandSaviourJesusChrist. AlargeCatholic population was settled near the house. It was the custom of Boniface to visit his monastery each year, and to spend there a few days of relaxation and of rest, from his great labours. 10
Presiding over the council of Soissons, St. Boniface re-established the 1
authority of metropolitans, ? weakened in many instances, owing to the con- duct of public disturbers. About this time, a Scot by nationality, named
Clemens, was charged by St. Boniface with delivering false doctrine, by rejecting
8 It has four Catholic churches and a Fran-
ciscan Convent, with three hospitals and a
in Libri Nove ed illustrata di Note e Docu-
menti. " This admirable work, illustrated
gymnasium. A Catholic University was
founded here in 1734. This has now been
converted into a lyceum, with six pro- 1842. The writer had an opportunity
fessors.
3 See the "Popular Encyclopedia; or Conversations Lexicon," vol. iii. , Art. Fulda,
p. 333.
10
Before the death of Abbot Sturm, it is stated by Mabillon, that his monks were four hundred in number.
" For an admirable explanation of the Regie de Saint Baioit, the reader has only to
afforded him, on the night of the 26th of
October, 1886, of reading a considerable portion of this work, during a visit to Monte Casino. Father Tosti, after writing many celebrated works there, has been called by Pope Leo XIII. to the Vatican, where he is entrusted with the charge of supervising the printing and publication of the Vatican Archives. At the date of our visit, he had been spending his vacation as a guest of the Abbot- Bishop of Monte Casino, in the Epis- copal Palace of San Germano, at the toot of the
property and place: "ad quatuor circum
"
liv. iv. , chap.
91210923.
13 Elsewhere, Bossuet declares, in the
"Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti. " he finds all
that is most beautiful in the History of the
Church. See, among his "Lettres Di verses,"
that addressed to Dom Mabillon. who had
presented the Bishop of Meaux, with a copy Universal Church History," vol. ii. , Period of his immortal work. Lettre cccxxv. , 2, Epoch i. , Part i. , chap, i. , sect. 159, writen from Versailles, August 22nd, 1703,
consult Le Comte de Montalembert's Moines d'Occident," tome ii. ,
Les
i. , pp. 42 to 67.
" See " CEuvres
" de Bossuet, tomevii. , Panegyrique de Saint Benoit, cols.
great Monastery,
,s Mabillon states, that he bestowed this
Completes
ibid. , tome xi. , col. 1221.
* 4 This is most admirably set forth, in the
Benedictine Father Dom. Luigi Tosti's
"
p. 87.
1? See
"
Les Petits Bollandistes, Vies des
Storia della Badia di MonteCassino divisa
Saints," tome vi. . ve Jour de Juin, p. 462.
,8 See Mabillon's " Annales Ordinis S.
Benedieti,"tomus ii. , lib. xxii. . sect. ii. , p. 127*
with fine copper-plates, was published at Naples, in Imperial Svo or small Folio, A. n.
millia passuum Bonifacio dedit, —et diplomati "
hac de re facto subscripsit. " Annales
S. Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxii. , sect, i. ,
pp. 125, 126.
,6 "
See Rev. John Alzog's Manual of
June5•] LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. 173 the canons and councils, as aiso, impugning the teaching of St. Jerome, of St.
Augustine
andofSt.
Gregory.
18 He
maintained,
thatitwas fora permissible
Christian to espose the widow of his deceased brother, thus introducing Judaism
into the Church. He had declared, likewise, that when Jesus Christ descended
into hell, he delivered damned souls, even those of unbelievers and idolaters.
Manyothererrorsheheld,touchingthedoctrineofpredestination.
Heopenly
declared, that he could continue as a bishop, having grievously sinned against
morality and public decency. At this Synod of Soissons were condemned
theerrorsofClement. Accordingly,inalettertoPopeZachary,containing
those several charges, Boniface requested him to entreat of King Carloman,
to have Adalbert and Clement apprehended and cast into prison, so that no
person should either speak to or communicate with them. Accompanied
by the proofs of his charge, a priest named Dencard was instructed to convey
that letter to Rome. He brought another, likewise, for Gemmulus, arch-
deacon of the Roman Church, and a friend of St. Boniface. The archdeacon
reported the contents of the letter and documents to the Pope, and urged
him to convoke a to the of Boniface. 1 ^ With council, contrary expectations
full approval of the Princes Karoloman and Pippin, Adalbert and Clement
were excommunicated St. by
the " to Apostolic precept,
Boniface, following
deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may
be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. " 20
In the year 745, and on the 31st of October, Pope Zachary had written to our
saint, after the death of Ragenfred, Bishop of Cologne, and suggesting, that it might be converted into a Metropolitan Seat, to which he should be raised, as that city afforded ready access to those nations, where he had preached the Gospel. A commission was given him, at the same time, to seek restitution of ecclesias- tical property, now that the Saracens, Saxons, and Frisians, had been subdued by. the Franks. The Pope signifies, also, he had written to the Princes of that
people, to urge on them the necessity of curbing the extravagance, pecula- tion and other crimes of wicked men, who had presumed to encroach on church rights. It does not seem to be established, that Boniface became Archbishop of Cologne, even for a short time, as soon afterwards, circum- stances
transpired, to. 'change
named had been tion, Agilulf,
to the vacant See of —and he promoted Cologne,
whathadbeen 21 Amanofnobleextrac- proposed.
was
supposed to have been originally founded by Drusus and the Romans 22 constituted a Metropolitan See, for the first Roman province of Germany ;
afterwards, it had been subjected to Cologne, which became the Metropolitan
Seat for the two Germanies. In turn, Worms was created a Metropolitan
See,forthesetwoprovinces,andMayencewasmadeasuffraganSeetoit. In
the time of Karoloman and of his brother Pippin, a bishop, named Geroldus,
or 23 ruled over the See of When the Saxons had dis- Ghewileib, Mayence.
conspicuous
for his
piety
and merits. In
early times, Mayence
a —
city was
turbed the peace of Thuringia, and when its people were obliged to appeal
for ai—d against their foes, Geroldus was required—according
usage tofurnishacontingentformilitaryservice,andwiththis,heappeared in the field, about a. d. 743. 24 During the heat of conflict, the Saxons rushed
19 See 1'Abbe
" Histoire Ecclesi-
tome
Fleury's
France," 2*
ii. ,
xi. , pp. 224, 225.
astique,"tome ix. , liv. xlii. , sect. xlix. ,p. 309.
20 "
1 Corinthians, v. 5.
31 See Mabillon's " Annates Ordinis S.
Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxii. , sect, vi. , p. 128.
"
See "Gazetteer of the World," vol. ix. ,
p. 171.
23
See Henri Martin's "Histoire de
liv.
Such is the date given for this war, in
Annalibus Francorum. "
2* S—erarius has this Distich, in reference to
him
"Ense Geroldus obit Prsesul, dum de-
micat ense :
Perplacet ergo chorum, non adiisse
forum. "
:
to established
i74 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [June5.
in great force upon him, and Geroldus was slain. 2^ After death, he left a son, called Gewelib, 26 or Gervilio, who undertook to rule in his place, over the Church of Mayence. He is said to have lived a moral life, yet was he obliged, also, to take military service, and march against the Saxons. 2? Under the leadershipofKaroloman,botharmiesmetonthebanksoftheWeser. 28 Here Gewelib learned, that the murderer of his father was on the opposite side. He then invited that man, to enter the river, and to hold a conference with him. Thisofferwasaccepted,when,upbraidinghimwiththeformercrime, Gewelib rushed upon that man with a drawn sword, and he fell dead in the water. This treacherous action roused the Saxons to commence the conflict immediately,buttheywereconqueredbyKaroloman. Soonafterwards,St. BonifaceenteredthecityofMayence. Therehewasmadeacquainted,with whathadhappened. Hethenappealedtotheking,andtootherbishops, about those scandals that had been permitted to prevail.
Before the middle of the eighth century, the fame of this wonderful shepherd of Christ's flock was spread over Christendom. 2 ^ A synod was held at Mentz, in the year 745, or 746, and over this St. Boniface was called upon to preside,
byPopeZachary,inqualityofLegate3°oftheApostolicandRomanSee. 31 At this were assembled Bishops, Priests, Deacons and Clerics of every grade, called together by Karoloman. Influenced by the example of Boniface, the German Bishops had bound themselves by an express vow, that they would remain unto their life's end subject to the Roman Church, to St. Peter, and to his successors. 32 In this council, many salutary laws were framed, for the extir- pation of prevailing errors and disorders, as also for the promotion of religion anddiscipline,amongecclesiasticsandlaics. GervilioorGevilieb,recognised as bishop of Mayence, had been deposed from the episcopate, not alone because of irregularities permitted at the time of his promotion, but also on accountofthehomicidehehadcommitted. Thiswaschargedhomeagainst him, at the council, by Boniface, who added, that he had witnessed the frivolous habits of Gevileib's life, by amusing himself with birds and dogs,33 while the duties of his station should claim a bishop's chief care. When the sentence was pronounced, at first, Gewelib threatened an appeal to Rome; but, finding the authority of the council had also the support of the secular arm, he submitted. 34 This Gewelib made the best atonement he could, for past irregularities. Being admonished by St. Boniface, he consented to lead a regular life. As an earnest of this intention, Geweleib bestowed his pater- nalpropertyonthechurchofSt. Martin. 35 Hereceivedasabenefice,how- ever, the village and church—noticed as Caput-montis—at Spanesheim. He
resigned
the See and
of
parish Mayence,
into the hands of 6 from whom him,3
3° In his "Menologium Scotorum," Thomas
adiisse forum. "
36 He is called Gawielibis,
by
Othlo, and
Dempster's Legati. "
words are " a latere Apostolici
Gerulio, by Serarius.
37 This expedition is assigned to A. D. 745,
in " Annalibus Francorum. "
28 Such is the interpretation put on the word Wisuralia, in the Supplement to Willi- bald's Life of St. Boniface, by the Bollan- dist editor. It is probably intended for Visurgis, which rising in Franconia flows
through Saxony, receiving many other rivers on its course to the ocean.
*9 Thus do we find in the " Chronicon "
3I This Papal Epistle xi. , among those col- lected, is addressed to the different Bishops of Gaul and Germany,
33 See Leopold Ranke's " Ecclesiastical and Political History of the Popes of Rome," translated by Sarah Austin, vol. i. , chap, i. , p. 16.
33 Thisis statedbyOthlo.
3* See l'Abbe Fleury's "Histoire Eccle-
of Marianus Scotus, at A. D. 743 :
Sanctus
Bonifatius— clarus Moguntinus Archiepiscopus
3S This church seems to have been at Mayence.
3° We may interpret this person to have been King Karoloman.
habetur. " Pertz's"MonumentaGermanise
Historica," tomus v. , p. 547. Waitz's edi- tion.
"
siastique," pp. 305, 306.
ilii. ,
tome ix. , liv.
sect, xlviii. ,
June 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 1 7 i
he received them. The circumstances of that time had thus brought May- ence into greater prominence. The deposition of Gevilieb likewise, had directed attention to Boniface. By the election of the clergy and people, he
wascalledtopresideoverthatSee. HewasappointedArchbishopofMayence, by Pope Zachary, in the year 747, according to John of Trittenheim, 3 ? and this date agrees pretty fairly with the computation of the Benedictines. 38 After- wards, Gewileib lived in great retirement, at his own house, where he exercised hospitality; nor did he assist at any synod nor conference in public, save to
appear occasionally at the washing of feet on Holy Thursday. His devotions in the church were quietly conducted. Thus, he lived for fourteen years,
after his resignation ofthe bishopric. 3?
Nor did Boniface persuade the Germans alone, to acts of obe-
dience and reverence, towards the Holy See. The Bishops of Gaul
had hitherto maintained a certain independence of Rome, which it
became the influence of Boniface to counteract. 4° In the year 751,
the day before the Nones of November, Pope Zachary confirmed the
election of our saint, in accordance with the Frankish request preferred
to him. '*1 or Mentz was created an five Mayence Archiepiscopal See, having
suffragan Sees subject to it, these representing all the German nations. Boniface was also ranked as the Primate of all Germany. His jurisdiction
was extended, it is said, over thirteen bishoprics, viz. , Strasburg, Spire,
Worms, Cologne, Liege, Utrecht, Ausbourg, Wirtzburg, Buraburg, afterwards transferred to Paderborn, Erfort, Eichstat,—Constance and Coire/2
ThecityofMainz—astheGermanswriteit isdelightfullysituated,atthecon- fluence of the Rivers Rhine and Maine. It has been considered always an im- portantmilitaryposition,andit isregarded,asoneofthestrongesttownsinGer-
48 See Mabillon's " Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxii. , sect, iv. , pp. 127, 128.
49 See Leopold Ranke's "Ecclesiastical and Political History of the Popes of Rome," translated by Sarah Austin, vol. i. , chap, i. , p. 17.
5° His feast occurs, at the 26th of Octo- ber.
SI Such is the account given in the Supple- ment to the Life of St. Boniface, by Willi- bald, chap, ii. , num. 4.
s* Her feast occurs, at the 28th of Septem- ber. She presided over a convent at Bis- chofiheim, on the River Tauber, a town in the district of Baden, about 16 miles south- west of Wurzburg.
53 Also called Hadeloga, and she is vene* rated at the 15th of October. Her nunnery was near the River Maine, at a place called Chizzingim, or Kitzinga.
37 He states, that this appointment was "
received from Pope Gregory. See Catalo-
gus ScriptorumEcclesiasticorum," fol. Ii. , b. 38 See "Histoire Literaire de la France,"
tome iv. , viii. Siecle, p. 94.
39 Such is the account given, in the Supple-
ment to Willibald's Life of St. Boniface,
cap. i. . sect. 1, 2, p. 473.
40 See Leopold Ranke's "Ecclesiastical
and Political History ofthe Popes of Rome,"
translated by Sarah Austin, vol. i. , chap, i. , p. 16.
41 See Labbe's and Cossart's "Sacrosancta
Concilia," tomus vi. , Epistolaxiii. , col. 1527. 42 See l'Abbe Fleury's "Histoire Eccle-
siastique," tome ix. , liv. xlii. , sect, lii. , p. 314.
43 See James Bell's "System of Geography, Popular and Scientific," &c, vol. i. , part ii. , chap, xv. , p. 373.
44 See Elisee Reclus' " Nouvelle Geogra- phie Universelle," tome hi. , liv. hi. , chap, iii. ,
sect, iii. , p. 593. — 45—The exterior but
54
she is said to have been a niece of St. Boni-
the
tion of this choir is presented, in the affixed
face. She heim.
over a
presided nunneryat Heiden-
illustration, taken from a local photograph ; the view has been drawn on the wood, by William F. Wakeman. The engraving is by
Mrs. Millard.
postor, and another called Clemens,
" Greater is he who rules over than he who us,
charlatan. Boniface
possessesthatman. " Inthemeetingwhichfollowed,Aldeber—twasconfused and confuted. los The fate of this man who —
replied
:
subsequent
to have caused great trouble and scandal to the Church in Germany does
not seem to be clearly ascertained. 100 The same council provided for the establishment of two great metropolitan centres, viz. , one at Rheims,107
,oS
over which Abel was placed as Archbishop, and another at Sens,
for which
Ardobert was appointed. It may be supposed, that several Sees had been
vacant, in these two provinces, or some may have been held by usurpers. The
last provision of this council decrees, that whoever disobeyed its canons should be judged and punished by the Prince and by his nobles, as well as by the
p.
102 He
belonged
to the Hibernian nation.
he met some swineherds, who murdered him. Some memorial of this event afterwards hung over the church door of St. Alban, which was situated on a mount, and sur- rounded by a valley, at the south side of the city. It was afterwards known as the New Tower, but, the church had disappeared. The Bollandist editor tells us, however, that a chapel dedicated to St. Boniface had been there erected by the Dean of Mayence, who owned a vineyard near it.
t0"
See Supplement to Willibald, cap. i. , sect. 3, p. 474, and nn. (m, n, o, p).
,07 For thirty-five this See had been years,
afflicted, owing to the expulsion of St. RigO' bert, and the intrusion of Milo, Archbishop of Treves. The latter was probably de- posed in this council.
,oS St. Ebbon ruled here as Archbishop, who probably resigned the See at this time, to lead a solitary life at Arce. He died A. D.
750.
See " Histoire Literaire de la France," tome
iv. , viii. Siecle, p. 105.
103 During the Pontificate of Zachary, they were condemned for adding the names of unknown spirits to the Ecclesiastical prayers, and those angels were called Uriel, Raguol, Tubuel, Inias, Tubuas, Sabaoth and Simiel. See Berti's " Ecclesiastics Historic Br£via- rium," Pars Prima, Octavum Ecclesiaa Secu- lum, cap. iii. , p. 193.
"
"*See l'Abbe Fleury's
siastique," tome ix. , liv. xlii. , sect, xxxvii. ,
288.
I05 It is stated, furthermore, that the king
delivered him to the judgment of Boniface, who had him degraded at Mayence ; he was afterwards taken to Fulda and cast into a dark prison of the monastery. At last, the wretched man escaped, and only brought with him a single covering, when wandering about the windings of the river near Fulda,
Histoire Eccle-
unhappy appears
June 5 . ]
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 1 7 1
about
in the interests of religion. He asks, that the pallium be sent to the Arch- bishops Abel and Ardobert, as also to Grimont, who was Archbishop of Rouen. HereferstothecondemnationofAdalbertandofClement,both of whom had been cast into prison. The Pope wrote in reply a letter, dated November 5th, 744, asking a reason, as to why Boniface only pressed for the pallium in the case of Grimont. He then takes occasion to refute a calumny, that had been circulated against himself. He also alludes to a pre- tended bishop in Bavaria, who falsely stated, he had been consecrated by the
Boniface refused to believe him, and he is commended for this dis- trust. Asking for faculties to preach in Bavaria, as given by the former Pope ; Zachary not only confirms but augments such powers for that province, and moreover, for the whole of Gaul, with the further instruction, that Boniface should correct all persons perverting the Faith or the Church Canons.
CHAPTER IV.
FOUNDATION OF FULDA MONASTERY—THE HERETICS ADALBERT AND CLEMENT—POPE ZACHARY WRITES TO ST. BONIFACE RECOMMENDING COLOGNE AS SUITABLE FOR BECOMING A METROPOLITAN CITY—SUBSEQUENT SELECTION OF MAYENCE AND DEPOSITION OF GEWILEIB—ST. BONIFACE CREATED ARCHBISHOP OF MAYENCE AND PRIMATE OF GERMANY—HIS JURISDICTION AND EPISCOPAL APPOINTMENTS— HIS LETTER TO KING ETHELBALD—PEPIN CHOSEN KING OF FRANCE—LETTER OF BONIFACE TO POPE ZACHARY—ST. BONIFACE CROWNS KING PEPIN AT SOISSONS— PEPIN DELIVERS ROME FROM THE LOMBARDS.
It constituted the head of a bishopric, and
Pope.
10^
Boniface took care to inform
the proceedings of this council, while praising the zeal of Carloman and Pepin,
bishops.
Moreover,
Pope Zachary,
x or
St. Boniface commenced * the foundation of the famous Abbey of Fulda, 5 near a river so called, in the midst of a vast forest ; and, ably seconded by a young Bavarian disciple, named Sturm,6 he soon brought the work to a satisfactory state of completion. The monastery was situated, about sixty- three miles, east-north-east from Maintz or Mentz, in a wood or village, called Grapfeld,7 in Buchonia. Soon, this place was destined to become a centre
Inthe aboutthe meantime,
year 742,
744
of religious life for Germany.
8
109 As the assembly had been composed habitants. It was the capital of a Grand
of ecclesiastical and lay representatives, so were temporal added to the spiritual penal-
Duchy, now incorporated with the Empire ofGermany. It was in the circle of the
now to the North German Duchy belonging
Empire.
6 He had previously lived for nine years,
with a few companions, in a desert place, known as Hersfelden.
1 It lay between Hesse and Thuringia.
ties. See 1'Abbe
siastique," tome ix. , liv. xlii. , sect, xxxvii. ,
Upper
arrangement, until the secularization of the ecclesiastical principalities of the German Empire took place, when it was ceded to Orange Nassau, and afterwards to the Grand Duke of Frankfort. In 1814, the principality was divided ; a district, containing 27,000 inhabitants being annexed to Saxe Weimar, while the rest was transferred to the king- dom of Prussia. Afterwards, Prussia ceded her portion to Hesse-Cassel, this Grand
pp. 288, 289. — Chapter iv.
*
Fleury's
See Rev. John Alzog's "Manual of Universal Church History,"
vol. ii. , Period 2, Epoch i. , Part i. , chap, i. , sect. 159, p. 87.
2
were laid during this year. See " Annales
According to Mabillon, its foundations
Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxii. , sect, i. , p. 125.
3 See Michaud's "
Ancienne et Moderne," tome v. , p. 5.
4 According to the " Chronicon " of Maria- nus Scottus, in 744.
5 The which has here city,
Biographie
Universelle
grown up around it, contains at present over 8,000 in-
" Histoire Eccle-
Rhine, and a in the old bishopric
2—someaccountshave 3— 746
172 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 5.
it grew to be the capital of a principality. The situation on the River of Fulda, which flows into the Weser, is a very delightful one ; woods, moun- tains, and rich arable lands, surrounding it, with some salt and medical
springs. Sturm was appointed Abbot, over the newly-established monastery of Fulda. There, Boniface placed a few monks,10 who followed the Rule of St. Benedict. " One of the most eloquent Prelates of the Church has set forth the career and the institute of this great Father of Western Monasticism, in
those glowing phrases, which distinguish the productions of that renowned orator. 12 The Patriarch of regular discipline, recognising how difficult it was to guide souls, and yet to accommodate rule according to the various disposi- tions of individuals, regards his Institute, as only a commencement towards perfecting the spiritual life ; while in reality, it is a learned and mysterious abridgment of the Gospel and of Christanity, as also of the maxims and counsels of the Holy Fathers, tending to perfection. ^ The history of St. Benedict and of his foundation on Monte Casino is most interesting. ^ The monks of St. Boniface laboured with their own hands, and did not avail them- selves of servants ; they lived in strict abstinence, using neither flesh, nor wine, nor beer. Owing to the generosity of Carloman/s King of the Franks, and other pious persons, the property at Fulda had been acquired. St. Boniface
dedicatedthatplacetoourLordandSaviourJesusChrist. AlargeCatholic population was settled near the house. It was the custom of Boniface to visit his monastery each year, and to spend there a few days of relaxation and of rest, from his great labours. 10
Presiding over the council of Soissons, St. Boniface re-established the 1
authority of metropolitans, ? weakened in many instances, owing to the con- duct of public disturbers. About this time, a Scot by nationality, named
Clemens, was charged by St. Boniface with delivering false doctrine, by rejecting
8 It has four Catholic churches and a Fran-
ciscan Convent, with three hospitals and a
in Libri Nove ed illustrata di Note e Docu-
menti. " This admirable work, illustrated
gymnasium. A Catholic University was
founded here in 1734. This has now been
converted into a lyceum, with six pro- 1842. The writer had an opportunity
fessors.
3 See the "Popular Encyclopedia; or Conversations Lexicon," vol. iii. , Art. Fulda,
p. 333.
10
Before the death of Abbot Sturm, it is stated by Mabillon, that his monks were four hundred in number.
" For an admirable explanation of the Regie de Saint Baioit, the reader has only to
afforded him, on the night of the 26th of
October, 1886, of reading a considerable portion of this work, during a visit to Monte Casino. Father Tosti, after writing many celebrated works there, has been called by Pope Leo XIII. to the Vatican, where he is entrusted with the charge of supervising the printing and publication of the Vatican Archives. At the date of our visit, he had been spending his vacation as a guest of the Abbot- Bishop of Monte Casino, in the Epis- copal Palace of San Germano, at the toot of the
property and place: "ad quatuor circum
"
liv. iv. , chap.
91210923.
13 Elsewhere, Bossuet declares, in the
"Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti. " he finds all
that is most beautiful in the History of the
Church. See, among his "Lettres Di verses,"
that addressed to Dom Mabillon. who had
presented the Bishop of Meaux, with a copy Universal Church History," vol. ii. , Period of his immortal work. Lettre cccxxv. , 2, Epoch i. , Part i. , chap, i. , sect. 159, writen from Versailles, August 22nd, 1703,
consult Le Comte de Montalembert's Moines d'Occident," tome ii. ,
Les
i. , pp. 42 to 67.
" See " CEuvres
" de Bossuet, tomevii. , Panegyrique de Saint Benoit, cols.
great Monastery,
,s Mabillon states, that he bestowed this
Completes
ibid. , tome xi. , col. 1221.
* 4 This is most admirably set forth, in the
Benedictine Father Dom. Luigi Tosti's
"
p. 87.
1? See
"
Les Petits Bollandistes, Vies des
Storia della Badia di MonteCassino divisa
Saints," tome vi. . ve Jour de Juin, p. 462.
,8 See Mabillon's " Annales Ordinis S.
Benedieti,"tomus ii. , lib. xxii. . sect. ii. , p. 127*
with fine copper-plates, was published at Naples, in Imperial Svo or small Folio, A. n.
millia passuum Bonifacio dedit, —et diplomati "
hac de re facto subscripsit. " Annales
S. Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxii. , sect, i. ,
pp. 125, 126.
,6 "
See Rev. John Alzog's Manual of
June5•] LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. 173 the canons and councils, as aiso, impugning the teaching of St. Jerome, of St.
Augustine
andofSt.
Gregory.
18 He
maintained,
thatitwas fora permissible
Christian to espose the widow of his deceased brother, thus introducing Judaism
into the Church. He had declared, likewise, that when Jesus Christ descended
into hell, he delivered damned souls, even those of unbelievers and idolaters.
Manyothererrorsheheld,touchingthedoctrineofpredestination.
Heopenly
declared, that he could continue as a bishop, having grievously sinned against
morality and public decency. At this Synod of Soissons were condemned
theerrorsofClement. Accordingly,inalettertoPopeZachary,containing
those several charges, Boniface requested him to entreat of King Carloman,
to have Adalbert and Clement apprehended and cast into prison, so that no
person should either speak to or communicate with them. Accompanied
by the proofs of his charge, a priest named Dencard was instructed to convey
that letter to Rome. He brought another, likewise, for Gemmulus, arch-
deacon of the Roman Church, and a friend of St. Boniface. The archdeacon
reported the contents of the letter and documents to the Pope, and urged
him to convoke a to the of Boniface. 1 ^ With council, contrary expectations
full approval of the Princes Karoloman and Pippin, Adalbert and Clement
were excommunicated St. by
the " to Apostolic precept,
Boniface, following
deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may
be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. " 20
In the year 745, and on the 31st of October, Pope Zachary had written to our
saint, after the death of Ragenfred, Bishop of Cologne, and suggesting, that it might be converted into a Metropolitan Seat, to which he should be raised, as that city afforded ready access to those nations, where he had preached the Gospel. A commission was given him, at the same time, to seek restitution of ecclesias- tical property, now that the Saracens, Saxons, and Frisians, had been subdued by. the Franks. The Pope signifies, also, he had written to the Princes of that
people, to urge on them the necessity of curbing the extravagance, pecula- tion and other crimes of wicked men, who had presumed to encroach on church rights. It does not seem to be established, that Boniface became Archbishop of Cologne, even for a short time, as soon afterwards, circum- stances
transpired, to. 'change
named had been tion, Agilulf,
to the vacant See of —and he promoted Cologne,
whathadbeen 21 Amanofnobleextrac- proposed.
was
supposed to have been originally founded by Drusus and the Romans 22 constituted a Metropolitan See, for the first Roman province of Germany ;
afterwards, it had been subjected to Cologne, which became the Metropolitan
Seat for the two Germanies. In turn, Worms was created a Metropolitan
See,forthesetwoprovinces,andMayencewasmadeasuffraganSeetoit. In
the time of Karoloman and of his brother Pippin, a bishop, named Geroldus,
or 23 ruled over the See of When the Saxons had dis- Ghewileib, Mayence.
conspicuous
for his
piety
and merits. In
early times, Mayence
a —
city was
turbed the peace of Thuringia, and when its people were obliged to appeal
for ai—d against their foes, Geroldus was required—according
usage tofurnishacontingentformilitaryservice,andwiththis,heappeared in the field, about a. d. 743. 24 During the heat of conflict, the Saxons rushed
19 See 1'Abbe
" Histoire Ecclesi-
tome
Fleury's
France," 2*
ii. ,
xi. , pp. 224, 225.
astique,"tome ix. , liv. xlii. , sect. xlix. ,p. 309.
20 "
1 Corinthians, v. 5.
31 See Mabillon's " Annates Ordinis S.
Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxii. , sect, vi. , p. 128.
"
See "Gazetteer of the World," vol. ix. ,
p. 171.
23
See Henri Martin's "Histoire de
liv.
Such is the date given for this war, in
Annalibus Francorum. "
2* S—erarius has this Distich, in reference to
him
"Ense Geroldus obit Prsesul, dum de-
micat ense :
Perplacet ergo chorum, non adiisse
forum. "
:
to established
i74 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [June5.
in great force upon him, and Geroldus was slain. 2^ After death, he left a son, called Gewelib, 26 or Gervilio, who undertook to rule in his place, over the Church of Mayence. He is said to have lived a moral life, yet was he obliged, also, to take military service, and march against the Saxons. 2? Under the leadershipofKaroloman,botharmiesmetonthebanksoftheWeser. 28 Here Gewelib learned, that the murderer of his father was on the opposite side. He then invited that man, to enter the river, and to hold a conference with him. Thisofferwasaccepted,when,upbraidinghimwiththeformercrime, Gewelib rushed upon that man with a drawn sword, and he fell dead in the water. This treacherous action roused the Saxons to commence the conflict immediately,buttheywereconqueredbyKaroloman. Soonafterwards,St. BonifaceenteredthecityofMayence. Therehewasmadeacquainted,with whathadhappened. Hethenappealedtotheking,andtootherbishops, about those scandals that had been permitted to prevail.
Before the middle of the eighth century, the fame of this wonderful shepherd of Christ's flock was spread over Christendom. 2 ^ A synod was held at Mentz, in the year 745, or 746, and over this St. Boniface was called upon to preside,
byPopeZachary,inqualityofLegate3°oftheApostolicandRomanSee. 31 At this were assembled Bishops, Priests, Deacons and Clerics of every grade, called together by Karoloman. Influenced by the example of Boniface, the German Bishops had bound themselves by an express vow, that they would remain unto their life's end subject to the Roman Church, to St. Peter, and to his successors. 32 In this council, many salutary laws were framed, for the extir- pation of prevailing errors and disorders, as also for the promotion of religion anddiscipline,amongecclesiasticsandlaics. GervilioorGevilieb,recognised as bishop of Mayence, had been deposed from the episcopate, not alone because of irregularities permitted at the time of his promotion, but also on accountofthehomicidehehadcommitted. Thiswaschargedhomeagainst him, at the council, by Boniface, who added, that he had witnessed the frivolous habits of Gevileib's life, by amusing himself with birds and dogs,33 while the duties of his station should claim a bishop's chief care. When the sentence was pronounced, at first, Gewelib threatened an appeal to Rome; but, finding the authority of the council had also the support of the secular arm, he submitted. 34 This Gewelib made the best atonement he could, for past irregularities. Being admonished by St. Boniface, he consented to lead a regular life. As an earnest of this intention, Geweleib bestowed his pater- nalpropertyonthechurchofSt. Martin. 35 Hereceivedasabenefice,how- ever, the village and church—noticed as Caput-montis—at Spanesheim. He
resigned
the See and
of
parish Mayence,
into the hands of 6 from whom him,3
3° In his "Menologium Scotorum," Thomas
adiisse forum. "
36 He is called Gawielibis,
by
Othlo, and
Dempster's Legati. "
words are " a latere Apostolici
Gerulio, by Serarius.
37 This expedition is assigned to A. D. 745,
in " Annalibus Francorum. "
28 Such is the interpretation put on the word Wisuralia, in the Supplement to Willi- bald's Life of St. Boniface, by the Bollan- dist editor. It is probably intended for Visurgis, which rising in Franconia flows
through Saxony, receiving many other rivers on its course to the ocean.
*9 Thus do we find in the " Chronicon "
3I This Papal Epistle xi. , among those col- lected, is addressed to the different Bishops of Gaul and Germany,
33 See Leopold Ranke's " Ecclesiastical and Political History of the Popes of Rome," translated by Sarah Austin, vol. i. , chap, i. , p. 16.
33 Thisis statedbyOthlo.
3* See l'Abbe Fleury's "Histoire Eccle-
of Marianus Scotus, at A. D. 743 :
Sanctus
Bonifatius— clarus Moguntinus Archiepiscopus
3S This church seems to have been at Mayence.
3° We may interpret this person to have been King Karoloman.
habetur. " Pertz's"MonumentaGermanise
Historica," tomus v. , p. 547. Waitz's edi- tion.
"
siastique," pp. 305, 306.
ilii. ,
tome ix. , liv.
sect, xlviii. ,
June 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 1 7 i
he received them. The circumstances of that time had thus brought May- ence into greater prominence. The deposition of Gevilieb likewise, had directed attention to Boniface. By the election of the clergy and people, he
wascalledtopresideoverthatSee. HewasappointedArchbishopofMayence, by Pope Zachary, in the year 747, according to John of Trittenheim, 3 ? and this date agrees pretty fairly with the computation of the Benedictines. 38 After- wards, Gewileib lived in great retirement, at his own house, where he exercised hospitality; nor did he assist at any synod nor conference in public, save to
appear occasionally at the washing of feet on Holy Thursday. His devotions in the church were quietly conducted. Thus, he lived for fourteen years,
after his resignation ofthe bishopric. 3?
Nor did Boniface persuade the Germans alone, to acts of obe-
dience and reverence, towards the Holy See. The Bishops of Gaul
had hitherto maintained a certain independence of Rome, which it
became the influence of Boniface to counteract. 4° In the year 751,
the day before the Nones of November, Pope Zachary confirmed the
election of our saint, in accordance with the Frankish request preferred
to him. '*1 or Mentz was created an five Mayence Archiepiscopal See, having
suffragan Sees subject to it, these representing all the German nations. Boniface was also ranked as the Primate of all Germany. His jurisdiction
was extended, it is said, over thirteen bishoprics, viz. , Strasburg, Spire,
Worms, Cologne, Liege, Utrecht, Ausbourg, Wirtzburg, Buraburg, afterwards transferred to Paderborn, Erfort, Eichstat,—Constance and Coire/2
ThecityofMainz—astheGermanswriteit isdelightfullysituated,atthecon- fluence of the Rivers Rhine and Maine. It has been considered always an im- portantmilitaryposition,andit isregarded,asoneofthestrongesttownsinGer-
48 See Mabillon's " Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus ii. , lib. xxii. , sect, iv. , pp. 127, 128.
49 See Leopold Ranke's "Ecclesiastical and Political History of the Popes of Rome," translated by Sarah Austin, vol. i. , chap, i. , p. 17.
5° His feast occurs, at the 26th of Octo- ber.
SI Such is the account given in the Supple- ment to the Life of St. Boniface, by Willi- bald, chap, ii. , num. 4.
s* Her feast occurs, at the 28th of Septem- ber. She presided over a convent at Bis- chofiheim, on the River Tauber, a town in the district of Baden, about 16 miles south- west of Wurzburg.
53 Also called Hadeloga, and she is vene* rated at the 15th of October. Her nunnery was near the River Maine, at a place called Chizzingim, or Kitzinga.
37 He states, that this appointment was "
received from Pope Gregory. See Catalo-
gus ScriptorumEcclesiasticorum," fol. Ii. , b. 38 See "Histoire Literaire de la France,"
tome iv. , viii. Siecle, p. 94.
39 Such is the account given, in the Supple-
ment to Willibald's Life of St. Boniface,
cap. i. . sect. 1, 2, p. 473.
40 See Leopold Ranke's "Ecclesiastical
and Political History ofthe Popes of Rome,"
translated by Sarah Austin, vol. i. , chap, i. , p. 16.
41 See Labbe's and Cossart's "Sacrosancta
Concilia," tomus vi. , Epistolaxiii. , col. 1527. 42 See l'Abbe Fleury's "Histoire Eccle-
siastique," tome ix. , liv. xlii. , sect, lii. , p. 314.
43 See James Bell's "System of Geography, Popular and Scientific," &c, vol. i. , part ii. , chap, xv. , p. 373.
44 See Elisee Reclus' " Nouvelle Geogra- phie Universelle," tome hi. , liv. hi. , chap, iii. ,
sect, iii. , p. 593. — 45—The exterior but
54
she is said to have been a niece of St. Boni-
the
tion of this choir is presented, in the affixed
face. She heim.
over a
presided nunneryat Heiden-
illustration, taken from a local photograph ; the view has been drawn on the wood, by William F. Wakeman. The engraving is by
Mrs. Millard.
