ON ST. ALNOBERTUS OR AUNOBERTUS
BISHOP OF SÉEZ IN NORMANDY.
7TH CENTURY.
CommentaryAlnobertus, or Aunobertus, Bishop of Séez in Normandy (S.)
G. H.
The Séez or Saiensis city, by the ancients Vagoritum called, the head of the Sessui, commonly Seez in Normandy situated, toward the Le Mans province, and with a Cathedral Church adorned, among its Bishops had St. Alnobertus, or Aunobertus: who was present at the Council of Rouen, The time of his See: in the year 692 held under St. Ansbertus the Archbishop, as on February 9, in this man's Life chapter VI is indicated. And this note of the time, in which he lived, the only one is had: but how-many-eth of his Church to be reckoned he is Bishop, is unknown: since the Catalogues by John Chenu, Claude Robert and the Sammarthani printed are not without their faults, while Milehardus, whom these long before St. Aunobertus place, after him to have sat we have shown at the Life of St. Cerenicus the Deacon, on the day May 7 illustrated.
[2] We have a Breviary, to the use of the notable Church of Séez about the year 1582 by Louis Huchet revised, the sacred cult May 16 in which is prescribed, the feast of St. Alnobertus, Bishop of Séez and Confessor, to be celebrated on the day May 16, with an ecclesiastical Office of nine as they call them Lessons; and this is prescribed the Prayer: O God who the present day of B. Alnobertus Your Confessor and Pontiff by his sacred passing have consecrated, grant we beseech, in the shown through his institutes steps to proceed, that of the same in the region of the living we may merit with the joys to be mingled. On the same day the same celebrate Greven and Molanus, in their Additions to Usuard, in these words: In the city of Séez, of B. Alnobertus, of that same city the Bishop and Confessor. There followed then Canisius in the Martyrology Germanic, Ferrarius in the Catalogue general and Saussay in the Gallican Martyrology, who with this him eulogy adorns: On the same day at Séez St. Alnobertus, Bishop likewise and Confessor, of admirable virtue: who with sanctity's and doctrine's charismata shining, the Council of Rouen under St. Ansbertus of this metropolis the Prelate attended; and with of pious labors the heat and sweat boiled down, possessed of rest eternal in the heavenly hall made was. Thus Saussay: who again on the day June 15, whether also June 15, a like of praise formula brings forth, and asserts on that day his into a Bishop Ordination to be celebrated; multiplying the error of Galesinius, who him, whom to celebrate on the day the 17th of the Kalends of June he ought, referred to the day the 17th of the Kalends of July, no made of Ordination mention. Galesinius follows Ferrarius, alleging the tables of the Church of Séez. But in these, as above we have shown, only is celebrated his memory this May 16 or the 17th of the Kalends of June. Hippolytus Vrayet, a monk of Corbie, sent to us the Fasti of the Saints of the monastery of St. Medard of Soissons, in which on this May 16 these things are read: Of St. Adalbertus or Aldobertus, Aldebertus, Anobertus, Bishop of Soissons, before the Episcopate and after the abdication of the Episcopate was Abbot of St. Stephen of Cociacus. In the Sammarthani Bishop of Soissons is the 24th Adalbertus, about whom besides the bare name nothing they knew of him. Claude Dormay, in the History of Soissons in the year 1663 printed, nothing also about him knew, except that he succeeded Warimbertus, and a successor had St. Gaudinus, about whom we treated February 11, and said about the year 620 to have departed, before whom about the beginning of the said century sat Adalbertus. But a wonder it would be him to be celebrated on this day, and that to be unknown to Dormay, who all things there found discussed. Hence a doubt to us arose, whether he is Aunobertus, Bishop of Séez, about whom the rest are to be understood.
[3] These few things collected I began to prepare the Acts of St. Evermundus (who is said by error by St. Alnobertus an Abbot consecrated) to be edited on the day June 10, where this man is adorned with the following titles. There was, says the author, Alnobertus, His virtues. wholly in the confession of the Lord founded, in tongue eloquent, in aspect Angelic, in countenance comely, with of morals honesty illustrious, with wisdom endowed, with chastity shining, cheerful in adversities, in prosperity timid, in daily food to too great parsimony given, with justice signal, of faith, hope and charity adorned with gems, with the merits of holy virtues most celebrated. This therefore a man so great, when the fame of the blessed man Evermundus he heard, through his Archdeacon Fortunatus offered to him prayers and gifts with an Episcopal benediction. But returned the Archdeacon, with great exultation what he had seen, indicated. The Bishop moreover praises and thanks to the Lord rendering, He consecrates St. Evermundus an Abbot. to him as quickly as possible into the desert proceeded, and amid sacred colloquies to the venerable Father Evermundus this most wretched life before the Brothers thus to praise began: Blessed are you, Brothers, who this age delude, and life this, which under an hour is brought in, and under a moment is shut out, renounce. To that therefore hasten life, to which no ever comes an end, no is given altogether a succession … Thus that blessed Prelate, with spiritual banquets filled the Brothers, St. Evermundus with himself led to the church of the Blessed Gervasius and Protasius, and to him the care of the Pastoral office committed, and him an Abbot consecrated, in the place which Mons-major is called. Thus far there, which from the Acts of St. Alnobertus, now lost, we think
described: wishing that they sometime be found, to be inserted into our work's Supplement.