Heribald

ON SAINT HERIBALD,

BISHOP OF AUXERRE IN GAUL.

BEFORE THE YEAR 859.

Heribaldus, Bishop of Auxerre in Gaul (St.)

By G. H.

In the illustrious crypt of the monastery of Saint Germanus, which we visited at Auxerre in 1662, among other monuments exists this epitaph, published in book 2 of Menardus's Observations at this 25 April: "Here lies the body of Saint Heribaldus, The title of Saint in the epitaph, who was Abbot of this house, then Bishop of Auxerre." The Sammarthani, in volume 4 of Gallia Christiana, place Heribald as seventh among the Abbots of Saint Germanus of Auxerre, in the Sammarthani and honor him with the title of Saint, and add that he was also Bishop of Auxerre. Concerning him in his Martyrology Menardus has this: "At Auxerre, of Saint Heribaldus, Bishop and Confessor." Menardus, Saussay in the Gallican Martyrology places him twice: namely in the first context, and in the Supplement: Saussay, with a double encomium, from this first we give the eulogy and it is of this kind: "At Auxerre, of Saint Heribaldus the Bishop, who from Abbot of Saint Germanus after Saint Angelelmus, made Hierarch of that See, shone with the wonderful splendors of virtues, which he had hidden in his cell: with which illuminating the Gauls, he merited not only the love, but also the admiration of the great men of his age: whose praises celebrated him, and being richer in merits than in praise, from the wrestling-place of holy exercise he proceeded to the reward of supernal glory. He was buried in the crypt of Saint Germanus, whose body he had solemnly translated on the Kalends of September in the year 841." The same Saussay in the first context of the Martyrology has this: "At Auxerre of Saint

Heribaldus, likewise Bishop and Confessor; who after Saint Angelelmus held the Episcopal staff, and preeminent in manners, doctrine, and piety, since he was dear to Charles the Bald, King of the Franks, he conferred great aids and ornaments on his Church: for he brought back possessions that had been taken away to Ecclesiastical jurisdiction, and added even more benefices. He renovated the mother Church of Saint Stephen in walls and ceilings, decorated it with stained glass and the finest paintings. He placed four silver crowns in its sanctuary. The relics of the holy Martyrs Alexander and Chrysanthus, brought from the city of Rome, he there placed, and surrounded with beautiful railings. Moreover, by order of the same King, bringing forth the body of Saint Germanus, uncorrupt and in the habit in which it had been becomingly composed by Placidia Augusta, he translated it from the place where it had first been laid to a more worthy place, and deposited it with the greatest reverence and honor. At length, distinguished by the ornaments of pastoral vigilance and holy conversation, he rendered his blessed spirit to Christ, whom he had faithfully served. His body, buried in the cenobitic church of Saint Germanus, over which he had before the bishopric presided as Abbot, is honored with the title of sanctity, of whose gifts he shone." All these things Saussay, and Bucelin, whose many words, without mention of him, Bucelin transcribed in the Benedictine Menology, adding that he presided over the Church of Auxerre for thirty-three years, and died on the 7th day before the Kalends of May.

[2] And these are more recent authors, who with the cited epitaph attribute to him the title and honor of Saint: which the Monk of Auxerre abstains from, who in his Chronicle has this: "Heribaldus presided over the Church of Auxerre after Angelelmus. Eulogy of the Auxerre Monk, He renovated the Church of Saint Stephen both in walls and in ceilings, and also decorated it with stained glass and the finest paintings; he established four silver crowns. He brought the relics of the holy Martyrs Alexander and Chrysanthus from the city of Rome, which he laid up in the aforesaid Church, and adorned the sanctuary with railings with kindly zeal. This one also, by order of the Kings Charles and Louis, venerably translated the body of most blessed Germanus on the Kalends of September in the year of the Lord 841, from the place in which it had first been buried, which he found so whole in solidity and uncorrupt in its vestments, as it had formerly been most becomingly composed by the venerable Augusta Placidia. This Bishop also, since he was both dear and intimate to King Charles, by his munificence obtained some villas, which had once been alienated from Ecclesiastical jurisdiction." So the Monk of Auxerre.

[3] Lupus, Abbot of Ferrières, was sufficiently familiar with Heriboldus (for so it is also written), to whom Lupus of Ferrières writes, who wrote him letter XIX in these words: "To the most excellent Bishop Heriboldus, Lupus. A certain monk of yours, whose name is John, is with us in our monastery, having been called on a certain necessity by a certain brother of ours, then afterwards retained by me, because it both is useful to us and in his cenobium, as we have heard, want is being suffered. Learning that you had ordered Brethren to be gathered there from every side, I direct these lines to your highness, asking and as much as I can before God suppliantly imploring, that you grant him to me for some time longer, and according to your innate benignity and the diligence of the imposed Office consult for that place, lest perhaps the lack of Brethren obscure not only your goods, commending the restoration of a certain cenobium. but also provoke the offense of our God, to whose judgment we hasten, and accelerate irrevocable vengeance. How ecclesiastical affairs and the care of souls are to be handled with what caution, without being admonished, your prudence sees. Therefore consult for both yourself and those Brethren, that both from your indulgence and their relief God may be glorified, who quickly repays individuals what they deserve. May you be well, dearest Lord, and be mindful of me especially in your sacred prayers."

[4] The other is letter XXXVII of Lupus, in which he thus writes: "The codex of Blessed Jerome's annotations on the Prophets, and sacred study, not yet read by me, I send to you for your convenience; which may your diligence quickly peruse or see to its being copied, and order it to be returned to us. Whence I judged it right to warn you, lest perhaps, amid your many and continual occupations conferring nothing on you, the delay of those things might harm us. And would that your lofty and divine genius, as much as could be done, turned away from common affairs, might be transferred to investigating the secrets of human or divine wisdom: certainly your nobility and the most distinguished grade of your office would take a reward worthy of its amplitude. Which I would not wish you to take as said by me, so that I should boastingly esteem myself perfect in this part, or think myself in any way to be compared to you, much less to be preferred: but just as I congratulate those adorned with deserving heaped honors, so also I desire to know those adorned in genius, especially those who excel in arts."

[5] He is present at the Council in 849, Moreover from letter LXXXIV of Lupus to Nomenoius, Duke of the Breton nation, it is established that Heriboldus, Bishop of Auxerre, with four other provincial Bishops was present at the Council of Tours: in which Nomenoius is accused of many excesses and of rejected letters from the Pope, and is admonished to come to his senses. That it was held in the year 849, ancient documents in Baronius indicate. Finally Lupus writes letter XCV to him on behalf of Queen Irmtrude, asking that "since he is accustomed to minister to the petitions of strangers, to his own needy relative, not without hope of divine retribution, let him wish to show the same, and bestow the affection owed to religion and kinship": from which a place is given to suspect that between Lupus himself and Saint Heribold there intervened some bond of affinity or consanguinity; whether a relative of Lupus? and this even if "Germanus" were not placed appellatively for brother, and were the proper name of him who is being commended: for this he indicates, saying "our Germanus," and by this opposing him to foreigners. Irmgardis was the first wife of Charles the Bald, who died in the year 869; and bore him in the year 843 Louis the Stammerer, after his father's death King of the Franks.

[6] In what year Heribaldus ended his life is not clear. Died before the year 859. His brother Abbo succeeded him in the Bishopric, who in the year 859 was present at the Council of Metz and Toul at Saponarias. We have various ancient Breviaries of the Church of Auxerre, in which no veneration is ascribed to this Bishop: which however is indicated in a MS Calendar of the church and diocese of Auxerre sent to us.