Saint Ludger (also
Lüdiger or
Liudger) (born at
ZuilenZuilen is a former municipality in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It existed until 1954, when it merged with Utrecht.Nowadays, Zuilen is a neighbourhood of Utrecht.-External links: Map of the former municipality in 1868....
near
UtrechtUtrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern end of the Randstad, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands, with a population of 300,030 in 2007...
about 742; died March 26,
809-Asia:* Emperor Saga succeeds Emperor Heizei as emperor of Japan.* Nagabhatta is defeated in India.-Births:* date unknown** Hunayn ibn Ishaq ** Emperor Jingzong of Tang ** Emperor Wenzong of Tang -Deaths:...
at
BillerbeckBillerbeck is a municipality in the district of Coesfeld in North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany.- Neighbor towns/cities:Billerbeck has boundaries to Rosendahl, Laer, Altenberge, Havixbeck, Nottuln and Coesfeld.- City Districts:* Stadt Billerbeck,...
) was a missionary among the
FrisiansThe Frisians are an ethnic group of Germanic people living in coastal parts of The Netherlands, Denmark and Germany. They are concentrated in the Dutch provinces of Friesland and Groningen and, in Germany, East Frisia and North Frisia. They inhabit an area known as Frisia...
and
SaxonsThe Saxons were a confederation of Old Germanic tribes. Their modern-day descendants in Lower Saxony and Westphalia and other German states are considered ethnic Germans ; those in the eastern Netherlands are considered to be ethnic Dutch; those in north...
, founder of
Werden AbbeyWerden Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in Essen-Werden , situated on the Ruhr.- The foundation of the abbey :Near Essen Saint Ludger founded a monastery in 799 and became its first abbot. The little church which Saint Ludger built here in honor of Saint Stephen was completed in 804 and dedicated...
and first Bishop of Münster in
WestphaliaWestphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Bochum, Detmold, Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen, Hagen, Minden and Münster and included in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia....
.
Early life to ordination
St Ludger's parents, Thiadgrim and Liafburg, were wealthy Christian Frisians of noble descent. In 753 Ludger saw the great Apostle of
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
,
Saint BonifaceSaint Boniface , the Apostle of the Germans, born Winfrid or Wynfrith at Crediton in the kingdom of Wessex , was a missionary who propagated Christianity in the Frankish Empire during the 8th century. He is the patron saint of Germany and the first archbishop of Mainz.He was killed in Frisia in 754...
, which, together with the subsequent martyrdom of the saint, made a deep impression on him. At his own request he was sent to the Utrecht Cathedral School (
Martinsstift), founded by
Saint Gregory of UtrechtSaint Gregory of Utrecht was born of a noble family at Trier. His father Alberic was the son of Addula, who in her widowhood was Abbess of Pfalzel near Trier...
in 756 or 757, and made good progress. In 767 Gregory, who did not wish to receive episcopal consecration himself, sent Alubert, who had come from England to assist him in his missionary work, to
YorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence....
to be consecrated bishop. Ludger accompanied him to be ordained into the diaconate (as he duly was, by
Ethelbert of YorkÆthelbert was an eighth century scholar, teacher, priest and Archbishop of York.-Life:...
) and to study under
AlcuinAlcuin of York or Ealhwine, nicknamed Albinus or Flaccus was a scholar, ecclesiastic, poet and teacher from York, Northumbria. He was born around 735 and became the student of Ecgbert at York...
, but after a year he returned to Utrecht. Some time later he was granted an opportunity to continue his studies in the same school, when he developed a friendship with Alcuin which lasted throughout life.
In 772 friction arose between the
Anglo-SaxonsAnglo-Saxons is the term usually used to describe the invading Germanic tribes in the south and east of Great Britain from the early 5th century AD, and their creation of the English nation, to the Norman conquest of 1066...
and the Frisians, and Ludger, for the sake his personal safety, left for home, taking with him a number of valuable books. He remained in the
Martinsstift until the death of Gregory in 775, in honour of whose memory he wrote the biography
Vita Gregorii. He was then sent to
DeventerDeventer is a municipality and city in the Salland region of the Dutch province of Overijssel. Deventer is largely situated on the east bank of the river IJssel, but also has a small part of its territory on the west bank. In 2005 the municipality of Bathmen Deventer is a municipality and city in...
to restore the chapel destroyed by the pagan Saxons and to find the relics of Saint Lebuinus, who had worked there as missionary, built the chapel, and died there in c. 775. Ludger was successful in these things, and then returned to teach in the
Martinsstift, after which he and some others were sent north to destroy the pagan places of worship west of the Lauwers Zee.
The Netherlands
After Ludger had been ordained at
CologneCologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants...
on 7 July 777 the missions of
Ostergau (or
Ostracha, i.e.,
East FrisiaEast Frisia or Eastern Friesland is a coastal region in the northwest of the German federal state of Lower Saxony....
) were committed to his charge, of which missions
DokkumDokkum is a Dutch fortified town in the municipality of Dongeradeel in the province of Friesland. It has 13,145 inhabitants . The fortifications of Dokkum are well-preserved and are known as the bolwerken .- History :...
, the place of the martyrdom of Saint Boniface, was made the centre. Every autumn however he came back to Utrecht to teach at the cathedral school. He worked in this way for about seven years, until
WidukindWidukind was a Saxon leader and the chief opponent of Charlemagne during the Saxon Wars. In later times, he became a symbol of Saxon independence and a figure of legend, and was stylized as a prototypical Germanic hero.-Life:Very little is known about Widukind's life...
in 784 persuaded the Frisians to drive out the missionaries, burn the churches, and return to the pagan gods. Ludger escaped with his disciples.
Ludger escaped with his disciples, and in 785 visited
RomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated municipality , with over 2.7 million residents in , while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat to be 3.46 million. The metropolitan area of Rome is estimated by OECD to have a population of 3.7 million...
, where he was well received by
Pope Adrian IPope Adrian, or Hadrian I, was pope from February 1, 772 to December 25, 795. He was the son of Theodore, a Roman nobleman....
, who gave him much advice and special faculties. From Rome he went to
Monte CassinoMonte Cassino is a rocky hill about 130 km southeast of Rome, Italy, c. 2 km to the west of the town of Cassino and 520 m altitude. St. Benedict of Nursia established his first monastery, the source of the Benedictine Order, here around 529. It was the site of Battle of Monte Cassino in...
, where he lived according to the Rule of Saint Benedict, but did not bind himself by vows. The news of Widukind's submission, and the arrival of
CharlemagneCharlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 to his death. He expanded the Frankish kingdoms into a Frankish Empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe...
at Monte Cassino in 787, put an end to St. Ludger's peaceful retirement. He was appointed missionary to five districts east of the river
LauwersThe Lauwers is a river in the Netherlands. It forms part of the border between the provinces of Friesland and Groningen. From the 730's to Widukind's defeat in 785 it was part of the border of the Frankish Empire....
, around the estuaries of the Hunze, the
FivelThe Fivel was a historical river in the province of Groningen in The Netherlands. It received its water from peat bogs around Kolham and Slochteren, flowed past Woltersum, Wittewierum and Ten Post, and meandered north of Winneweer. The Fivel debouched inte a wide estuary of the Wadden Sea...
, and the Ems, which were still occupied almost entirely by pagans. He began his work armed with characteristic energy and faith in God, and had a significant advantage in that he knew the language and habits of the people, and put this knowledge to good use in achieving their conversion.
He worked in many places: the island of Bant, long since sunk beneath the sea, is mentioned as the scene of his apostolic work. He visited
HeligolandHeligoland is a small German archipelago in the North Sea.Formerly Danish and British possessions, the islands are located in the Heligoland Bight in the southeastern corner of the North Sea...
(
Fossitesland), where
Saint Willibrord__notoc__Saint Willibrord was a Northumbrian missionary, known as the "Apostle to the Frisians" in the modern Netherlands. He became the first Bishop of Utrecht and died at Echternach, Luxembourg.His father, Wilgils or St...
had preached, where he destroyed the remains of paganism and built a Christian church. The well, formerly sacred to the pagan gods, he re-dedicated as his baptismal font. On his return he met the blind bard Bernlef, last of the Frisian
skaldThe skald was a member of a group of poets, whose courtly poetry is associated with the courts of Scandinavian and Icelandic leaders during the Viking age, who composed and performed renditions of aspects of what we now characterise as Old Norse poetry .The most prevalent metre of skaldic poetry is...
s, cured his blindness, and made him a devout Christian.
Westphalia and Saxony
In 793 Charlemagne wished to make Ludger Bishop of Trier, but he declined, while declaring himself willing to undertake the evangelization of the Saxons. Charlemagne accepted the offer, and north-western Saxony was thus added to Ludger's missionary field. The monastery of
St. Ludger's AbbeySt. Ludger's Abbey was a former monastery of the Benedictine Order in Helmstedt, Lower Saxony, founded by Saint Ludger around 800...
at
HelmstedtHelmstedt [ˈhɛlmˌʃtɛt] is a city located at the eastern edge of the German state of Lower Saxony. It is the capital of the District of Helmstedt. Helmstedt has 26,000 inhabitants . In former times the city was also called Helmstädt....
was founded as part of his missionary activity in this part of Germany. To meet necessary expenses the income of the Abbey of
LeuzeLeuze may refer to the following places:*Leuze-en-Hainaut, in the province of Hainaut, Belgium*Somme-Leuze, in the province of Namur, Belgium*Leuze, Aisne, in the department of Aisne, France...
, in the present
BelgianThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
province of Hainaut, was given him, and he was told to pick his fellow-workers from the members of that abbey.
As
Mimigernaford (also
Mimigardeford or
Miningarvard) had been designated the centre of the new district, Ludger built a monastery there, from which the place took the name of
MünsterMünster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region and it is also capital of the local government region Regierungsbezirk Münster...
. Here he lived with his monks according to the rule of Saint Chrodegang of
MetzMetz is a city in the northeast of France, capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. It is located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers....
, which in 789 had been made obligatory in the Frankish territories. He also built a chapel on the left bank of the
AaAa River may refer to:*Aa , in northern France*Aa , in North Brabant, Netherlands*Aa of Weerijs, in North Brabant, Netherlands*Drentsche Aa, a river in Groningen, Netherlands*Aabach , or Ustermer Aa, a river in Switzerland...
in honour of the Blessed Virgin, as well as the churches of
BillerbeckBillerbeck is a municipality in the district of Coesfeld in North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany.- Neighbor towns/cities:Billerbeck has boundaries to Rosendahl, Laer, Altenberge, Havixbeck, Nottuln and Coesfeld.- City Districts:* Stadt Billerbeck,...
,
CoesfeldCoesfeld is the capital of the district of Coesfeld in North Rhine-Westphalia.- Neighbouring municipalities:* Dülmen* Havixbeck* Billerbeck* Nottuln* Senden-Persons of interest:*Hermann Wedekind , artistic director...
,
HersfeldHersfeld may refer to:*Bad Hersfeld, a town in Hesse*Hersfeld Abbey, a monastery in Hesse...
,
NottulnNottuln is a municipality in the district of Coesfeld in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.- Neighbouring municipalities:* Billerbeck* Havixbeck* Senden,_North_Rhine-Westphalia* Dülmen* Coesfeld- Division of the municipality :...
and others. Near the church of Nottuln he built a home for his sister, Saint Gerburgis, who had consecrated herself to God. Many other women soon joined her, and so originated the first
conventA convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
in Westphalia (c. 803). Better known among his foundations, however, is the abbey at
WerdenWerden Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in Essen-Werden , situated on the Ruhr.- The foundation of the abbey :Near Essen Saint Ludger founded a monastery in 799 and became its first abbot. The little church which Saint Ludger built here in honor of Saint Stephen was completed in 804 and dedicated...
, founded (after an abortive attempt to establish a religious house at Wichmond on the
ErftThe Erft is a river in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It flows through the foothills of the Eifel, and joins the Rhine river . Its origin is near Nettersheim, and its mouth in Neuss-Grimlinghausen south of the Josef-Cardinal-Frings-bridge. The river is 103 km long, which is significantly shorter...
) in c. 800 and consecrated in 804, on ground which Ludger himself had acquired, in fulfilment of his desire, formed since his stay at
Monte CassinoMonte Cassino is a rocky hill about 130 km southeast of Rome, Italy, c. 2 km to the west of the town of Cassino and 520 m altitude. St. Benedict of Nursia established his first monastery, the source of the Benedictine Order, here around 529. It was the site of Battle of Monte Cassino in...
, to found a Benedictine house.
Later life
At the request of Charlemagne, Ludger received episcopal consecration, from Hildebold, Archbishop of Cologne, on March 30,
805-Byzantine Empire:* Emperor Nicephorus I of Byzantium suffers a major defeat against the Saracens at Crasus.-Asia:* Tang Shunzong succeeds Tang Dezong as emperor of China, but does not last till the end of the year.-Europe:* Oldest known mention of Magdeburg....
. His principal concern was to have a good and efficient clergy. To a great extent he educated his students personally, and generally took some of them on his missionary tours.
It was said of him that his peaceful methods were far more effective in promoting Christianity than the aggressive tactics of Charlemagne. He was criticised during his life for spending money on alms that should have gone towards the ornamentation of his churches suffered thereby, but was able to convince Charlemagne that this was no fault.
Death and relics
On
Passion SundayPassion Sunday is the name that was given to the fifth Sunday of Lent in pre-1960 General Roman Calendar. In 1960 Pope John XXIII changed the official name to "First Sunday in Passiontide" to fit with the name that his predecessor Pope Pius XII had given to Palm Sunday, calling it the "Second...
809, Ludger heard
MassThe Mass is the Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites of the Catholic Church. The term is used also of similar celebrations in Old Catholic Churches, in the Anglo-Catholic tradition of Anglicanism, in many Lutheran Churches, and in a small amount of High Church Methodist parishes...
at Coesfeld early in the morning and preached, then went to Billerbeck, where at nine o'clock he again preached, and said his last mass. That evening he died peacefully in the company of his followers.
A dispute arose between Münster and Werden for the possession of his body. His brother Hildegrim was appealed to, and after consultation with the
EmperorThe Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a Middle Ages ruler, who as German King had in addition received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope of the Holy Roman Church, and after the 16th century, the elected monarch governing the Holy Roman Empire, a Central...
, decided in favour of Werden, where the relics still remain. Portions have however since been brought to Münster and Billerbeck.
Veneration
The successive
Vitae, beginning with the serious contemporary biographical work of
AltfridSaint Altfrid or Altfrid of Hildesheim was a leading figure in Germany in the ninth century. A Benedictine monk, he became Bishop of Hildesheim, and founded Essen Abbey. He was also a close royal adviser to the East Frankish King Louis the German.He is a Roman Catholic saint...
and passing through the
Vita Secunda and
Vita Tertia to the
Libellus Monasteriensis de miraculis sancti Liudgeri (
The Little Book of Münster on the Miracles of Saint Ludger) of c. 1170, demonstrate the growth of the legend. Votive practice in Münster seems to have focussed on a very large and elaborate cross containing a number of relics of the saint. The cult seems to have remained mostly local, and largely to have faded in the later Middle Ages.
St. Ludger is represented either as a bishop reciting his
BreviaryA breviary is a liturgical book of the Latin liturgical rites of the Catholic Church containing the public or canonical prayers, hymns, the Psalms, readings, and notations for everyday use, especially by, bishops, priests, and deacons in the Divine Office...
or as standing between two geese (occasionally described as swans). His feast day is celebrated on March 26.