Saint Aldric
Encyclopedia
Saint Aldric was Bishop of Le Mans in the time of Louis the Pious
, born c. 800; died at Le Mans, 7 January, 856. As a youth he lived in the court of Charlemagne
, at Aix la Chapelle, as well as in that of his son and successor Louis.
By both monarchs he was highly esteemed, but when only twenty-one, he withdrew to Metz
and became a priest, only to be recalled to court by Louis, who took him as the guide of his conscience. Nine years after his ordination he was made Bishop of Le Mans, and, besides being conspicuous for the most exalted virtue, was distinguished by his civic spirit in constructing aqueducts, as well as for building churches, restoring monasteries, ransoming captives, etc.
In the civil wars that followed the death of Louis, his fidelity to Charles the Bald
resulted in his expulsion from his see, and he withdrew to Rome
. Gregory IV reinstated him. With the Bishop of Paris, Erchenrad, he, as a deputy of the Council of Aix la Chapelle, visited Pepin I
, who was then King of Aquitaine, and persuaded him to cause all the possessions of the Church which had been seized by those of his party to be restored. During his lifetime taking part in the Councils of Paris and Tours. His episcopate lasted twenty-four years.
Louis the Pious
Louis the Pious , also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was the King of Aquitaine from 781. He was also King of the Franks and co-Emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813...
, born c. 800; died at Le Mans, 7 January, 856. As a youth he lived in the court of Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
, at Aix la Chapelle, as well as in that of his son and successor Louis.
By both monarchs he was highly esteemed, but when only twenty-one, he withdrew to Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
and became a priest, only to be recalled to court by Louis, who took him as the guide of his conscience. Nine years after his ordination he was made Bishop of Le Mans, and, besides being conspicuous for the most exalted virtue, was distinguished by his civic spirit in constructing aqueducts, as well as for building churches, restoring monasteries, ransoming captives, etc.
In the civil wars that followed the death of Louis, his fidelity to Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald , Holy Roman Emperor and King of West Francia , was the youngest son of the Emperor Louis the Pious by his second wife Judith.-Struggle against his brothers:He was born on 13 June 823 in Frankfurt, when his elder...
resulted in his expulsion from his see, and he withdrew to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Gregory IV reinstated him. With the Bishop of Paris, Erchenrad, he, as a deputy of the Council of Aix la Chapelle, visited Pepin I
Pepin I of Aquitaine
Pepin I was King of Aquitaine.-Biography:He was the second son of Emperor Louis the Pious and his first wife, Ermengarde of Hesbaye....
, who was then King of Aquitaine, and persuaded him to cause all the possessions of the Church which had been seized by those of his party to be restored. During his lifetime taking part in the Councils of Paris and Tours. His episcopate lasted twenty-four years.
Relevant works
- Actus Pontificum Cenomannis (in urbe degentium)Actus pontificum cenomannisThe Actus pontificum Cenomannis is a series of short biographies of bishops of the city of Le Mans, starting with the first bishop Julian, one of the Seventy Disciples. The core text was written in the middle ninth century, probably by a cleric or clerics of the cathedral of Le Mans, though it had...
, compiled during Aldric's episcopate.- ed. Margarete Weidemann, Geschichte des Bistums Le Mans von der Spätantike bis zur Karolingerzeit: Actus Pontificum Cenomannis in urbe degentium und Gesta Aldrici. 3 vols. Mainz, 2000.
- Gesta (Domni) Aldrici, which relates how Aldric translated the bodies of the saints and former bishops of Le Mans: Julianus, Turibius, Pavatius, RomanusRomanusRomanus , hellenized as Romanos was a Roman cognomen and can refer to:*Aquila Romanus, Latin grammarian*Romanus , a comes Africae, rebelled against by Firmus -Saints:...
, Liborius and Hadoindus to his cathedral.- ed. Margarete Weidemann, Geschichte des Bistums Le Mans von der Spätantike bis zur Karolingerzeit: Actus Pontificum Cenomannis in urbe degentium und Gesta Aldrici. 3 vols. Mainz, 2000.
- ed. Migne, Patrologa Latina 115. Html transcript, Documenta Catholica Omnia.
Further reading
- Goffart, Walter A. The Le Mans forgeries: a chapter from the history of church property in the ninth century. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard UP, 1966. Contents.