Willibrord

Saint Willibrord (c.657 - c.738) was an English missionary, known as the Apostle to the Frisians in modern Netherlands.

Related Topics:
657 - 738 - English - Frisian - Netherlands

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Bishop of Utrecht, Apostle of the Frisians, and son of St. Hilgis, born in Northumbria, 658; died at Echternach, Luxembourg, November 7, 739.

Related Topics:
Bishop of Utrecht - Apostle - Frisians - Hilgis - Northumbria - Echternach, Luxembourg

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His father, Wilgils or St. Hilgis, an Angle or, as Alcuin styles him, a Saxon, of Northumbria, withdrew from the world and constructed for himself a little oratory dedicated to St Andrew. The king and nobles of the district endowed him with estates till he was at last able to build a church, over which Alcuin afterwards ruled.

Related Topics:
Wilgils - Hilgis - Angle - Alcuin - Saxon - Northumbria - Andrew - King - Nobles

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A disciple of St. Wilfrid, he was sent to the Abbey of Ripon almost as soon as he was weaned. Later he joined the Benedictines. He spent the years between the ages of 20 and 32 in the Abbey of Rathmelsigi (identified by some as Mellifont in County Louth) Ireland, which was a center of European learning in the 7th century. During this time he studied under Saint Egbert, who sent him and twelve companions to Christianize the pagan North Germanic tribes of Frisia, at the request of Pepin, Christian king of the Franks and nominal suzerain over that region. At the request of Pepin he traveled twice to Rome, finally being consecrated Bishop of the Frisians in the Church of St. Cecilia. It was November 21, 695 and he was given the name of Clement. He was also given the pallium by the pope. He returned to Frisia to preach and to build numerous churches, among them a monastery at Utrecht, where he established his cathedral and is counted the first Bishop of Utrecht. In 698 he established an abbey at a Roman villa of Echternach, in Luxemburg near Trier, which was presented to him by Irmina, daughter of Dagobert II, king of the Franks.

Related Topics:
Wilfrid - Ripon - Benedictine - Abbey of Rathmelsigi - Mellifont - County Louth - Ireland - Saint Egbert - Pepin - Rome - Church of St. Cecilia - Pallium - Bishop of Utrecht - Villa - Trier - Irmina - Dagobert II

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In 716 the pagan Radbod, king of the Frisians, retook possession of Frisia, burning churches and killing many missionaries.

Related Topics:
Pagan - Radbod

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After the death of Radbod in 719, Willibrord returned to resume his work, aided by St. Boniface. His frequent visits to the Abbey of Echternach resulted in his being interred there after his passing, and he was quickly judged to be a saint. His feast is celebrated on November 7 outside of England, but on November 29 in England, by order of pope Leo XIII.

Related Topics:
Boniface - Saint - Feast - Pope Leo XIII

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Numerous miracles and relics have been attributed to him, and in one particularly memorable moment, the transport of his relics was celebrated thusly "the Five bishops in full pontificals assisted; engaged in the dance were 2 Swiss guards, 16 standard-bearers, 3045 singers, 136 priests, 426 musicians, 15,085 dancers, and 2032 players" (Studien u. Mittheilungen, 1906, p. 551).

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A Life was written by Alcuin and dedicated to the Abbot of Echternach. Alcuin probably made use of an older one written by a British monk, which is now lost. Bede also makes mention of Willibrord. Nothing written by Willibrord can be found save a marginal note in the Calendar of Echternach giving some chronological data. A copy of the Gospels (Bibliothèque National, Paris, 9389) under the name of Willibrord is an Irish codex no doubt brought by Willibrord from Ireland.

Related Topics:
Alcuin - Bede - Calendar of Echternach - Bibliothèque National - Codex

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