Acta Sanctorum

Honobertus und Honulphus

5 January · commentary
Latin source: Heiligenlexikon
Sts. Honobertus and Honulphus, successive Bishops of Sens in the eighth century, in the unusual arrangement of a father succeeding his son in the episcopate. Honobertus died around 755 and Honulphus around 743 (correcting the later dates given by some sources); the monk of Auxerre briefly commemorates both in his Chronicle. 8th century

ON THE HOLY BISHOPS OF SENS, HONOBERTUS AND HONULPHUS.

In the Eighth Century.

Commentary

Honobertus, Bishop of Sens in Gaul (St.) Honulphus, Bishop of Sens in Gaul (St.)

The Carthusians of Cologne, in their Additions to Usuard, record these holy bishops on this day with these words: "At Sens, Honobertus and Honulphus, Bishops and Confessors." Claudius Robertus, in his catalogue of the Archbishops of Sens, testifies that their feast is celebrated on January 5. The manuscript Florarium records the feast of St. Honulphus on December 19, but his translation on August 31 in these words: "In the territory of Adartensis, the translation of St. Honulphus, Bishop of Sens." St. Honobertus was the son of St. Honulphus. It celebrates Honobertus on September 28. Honobertus was (as the same Robertus, Demochares, and Joannes Chenu report) the son of Honulphus; for the father succeeded the son in the episcopate. They hold that the son died in the year 755 and the father six years later, namely in 761. The monk of Auxerre briefly mentions both in his Chronicle, writing thus: "After St. Ebbo (of whom we shall treat on August 27) St. Honobertus presided over the Church of Sens, a man distinguished in all uprightness; Honulphus succeeded him, and Othbertus succeeded Honulphus." This Othbertus is the same who elsewhere is called Artbertus or Hartbertus, as Claudius Robertus himself writes. But since Pope Zacharias, in a letter to St. Boniface dated in the year of Christ 744, mentions Artbertus, it must be admitted that St. Honulphus died before the year 743.