Amulwin

ON SAINT AMULWIN, ABBOT OF LOBBES AND BISHOP, AT LOBBES AND BINCHE IN BELGIUM.

Eighth Century.

Amulwin, Abbot of Lobbes and Bishop, in Belgium (Saint)

I. B.

[1] The monastery of Lobbes is on the River Sambre in Belgium, called by others Laubiae and Lobiae, whose location, etymology, and foundation we related on February 4, from Folcuin, Abbot of the same place about 950 years ago, when we treated of Saint Ulgisus, Abbot and Bishop. After Saint Landelin the founder, Saint Amulwin, Abbot of Lobbes the first Abbot and at the same time Bishop was Saint Ursmar, then Saint Erminus, who died on April 25 in the year 737. Concerning Saints Abel, Ulgisus, and Amulwin, who are likewise reported to have been Bishops and Abbots of Lobbes, Folcuin writes thus: "Erminus also had co-workers and successors, governors and co-abbots of the same place -- namely Saint Abel, a Scot by nation, and Saint Ulgisus the Bishop, and the Lord Amulwin, likewise a Bishop; whether they succeeded one another in turn, or, while Saint Erminus was occupied with spiritual affairs, it is uncertain whether he served with others they governed the place in common, antiquity has left nothing certain. It has not, however, been silent that they both held and governed the place of Lobbes, and also improved the place according to the opportunities of the times. Saint Erminus ruled... and thus, having completed twenty-five years in governance, he shared in the glory of the Master, departing on April 24. After him came Abbot Theodowin, under whom, with Carloman, the Mayor of the Palace, granting it, our Church merited to possess the estate of Fontanas, which the Sambre washes." This donation occurred, as we said there, in the second year of King Childeric, the year of Christ 744, which was a leap year.

[2] Folcuin continues, with some matters interposed: "To Abbot Theodowin, therefore, Saint Theodulph the Bishop succeeded in the administration of the aforesaid place, partly under the aforesaid Prince Pepin, afterward made King, and for nine years under King Charles, who are certain, from the year 744 to 800 afterward made Emperor... He died in the year 776 of the Lord's Incarnation, on the feast day of Saint John the Baptist. Anso follows him in governance, a good and holy man, an Abbot only, not a Bishop, ruling the same monastery under the said Emperor Charles for twenty-four years... and this man died under the aforesaid Charles, in the very year in which the Emperor was made."

[3] To Saint Amulwin also pertains what we related on February 4 from the Acts of Saint Ulgisus from the same Folcuin -- that it is obscure on what grounds Saint Ursmar and those who succeeded him up to the Blessed Anso were bishops: whether for preaching the Gospel with greater authority to the pagans, on what grounds was he a bishop? or for lending dignity to the Mayors of the Palace residing nearby, who so little deferred to the Kings that they even surpassed them in magnificence, since they far exceeded them in power. Perhaps some of these Abbots were made Bishops in order to execute the functions of others -- as we shall say that Saint Abel did, on August 5; who, however, was perhaps a Bishop ordained in Scotland. A later example of the same thing is mentioned by the same Folcuin, speaking of Franco, Bishop of Liege, who, compelled to undertake wars that were just as far as secular matters were concerned and truly necessary, against the Normans, had himself often joined battle -- now allied with Emperor Arnulf, more often with Reginarius Long-neck. After this, knowing it to be unlawful for anyone with blood-stained hands to handle sacred things, he sent to Rome Berico, a cleric of Liege, and Theuter, a monk of Lobbes, whom he asked and obtained to have ordained as bishops who might supply his functions. Having now been made bishops, he committed to them the governance of his diocese.

[4] Moreover, if Saint Amulwin was properly an Abbot and administered the monastery separately, it must be said that this occurred after the death of Saint Erminus and before Theodowin became Abbot; if he was Abbot separately, then before the year 744 since otherwise Theodowin was immediately succeeded by Saint Theodulph, and Theodulph by the Blessed Anso. From these things it is clear that Trithemius, as is his custom, speculates about the deeds of Saint Amulwin, as he did above about Saint Ulgisus, in Book 3 on the Illustrious Men of the Order of Saint Benedict, chapter 262, writing thus: "Amulwin, Abbot of Lobbes and afterward Bishop of the same place, a man most distinguished for learning and religion, is said to have left very many memorials of his holiness and doctrine. For he was a most strong despiser of the world and distinguished for all the virtues of good works. His feast is celebrated on the seventh of the Kalends of February." Indeed, the seventh of the Ides. Again in Book 4, chapter 203: "Amulwin, Abbot of the monastery of Lobbes, and then Bishop of the same city, a learned and noble man, who fed the flock committed to him no less carefully with holiness than with knowledge of the Scriptures; uncertain things reported about his deeds by some writers on account of frequent miracles, testimonies of good works, he was inserted into the catalogue of the Saints." Where did Trithemius read that Lobbes was a city? It is elsewhere called a villa, or town, as larger villages are customarily called. There is a twofold church here: one of monks, dedicated to Saint Peter; another of Saint Mary on the hill, formerly of Canons. From what source did he receive what Folcuin, far more accurate than himself, did not know -- that he was noble? That he was first an Abbot, then made Bishop? That memorials of doctrine were left by him? With equal infelicity Wion conjectured and about his age that he was the seventh Abbot around the year of the Lord 770? Following him, Ferrari writes that he flourished around the year 770; Ghinius even later.

[5] Saint Amulwin (who is also called by others Amolwin, Amolwinus, Amelwin, His feast day and Amulbwin) is venerated on February 7, on which day the following was written by an ancient hand in the most ancient manuscript Martyrology of Ado that exists at Lobbes: "In the monastery of Lobbes, Saint Amulwin the Bishop." Molanus, in the first edition of Usuard: "At Binche, Amolwin, Bishop and Abbot of Lobbes." In the second edition: "At Binche, from Lobbes, the Blessed Amolwin, Bishop and Confessor." He treats of him in the same work in his Natales and in the Index of the Saints of Belgium, where he notes the following: "His feast is at Lobbes, where he resided and rests; likewise at Binche, to which he was translated, on February 7." Which our Baudouin Willot also expressed thus in the Belgian Martyrology: "In the monastery of Lobbes near the town of Thuin, the feast of Saint Amolwin, Bishop and Abbot of the same place. Likewise at Binche, to which he was afterward translated and where he now rests." His feast on this day is also reported by Canisius, Wion, Menard, Dorgani, Ferrari, Andrew Boey, Ghinius in the Natales of Canons, Saussay, Miraeus in the Belgian Calendar, and Fisen in the Flowers of the Church of Liege.

[6] Giles Waulde, in Book 5 on the Saints of Lobbes, chapter 9, writes that he discovered in the ancient monuments of that monastery that the relics of Saints Ulgisus elevation and Amolwin were dug up from their tombs and exposed for veneration before the year of Christ 1400; and that around the year 1468 very many miracles were performed through the invocation of Amolwin. Miracles.

[7] Finally, in the year 1409, as we said above in the Acts of Saint Ulgisus, the bodies of Saints Ursmar, Erminus, Amolwin, and others were translated from Lobbes to Binche, Translation where they are still preserved. That Translation is recalled with an annual commemoration on the second Sunday after the Nativity of Saint John, and is inscribed in various Martyrologies on July 2, as we shall say especially at the feast of Saint Ursmar on April 18. Moreover, a certain other Translation of theirs is noted at October 14 in a certain manuscript, and at April 4 in the first edition of the supplement of Molanus to Usuard, and likewise in Canisius, Wion, Menard, and Ferrari, as was said above on February 4 under Ulgisus.