Everything about Willibrord totally explained
Saint
Willibrord (c.
658 –
November 7,
739) 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. Hilgis, an
Angle or, as
Alcuin styles him, a
Saxon, of
Northumbria, withdrew from the world and constructed for himself a little oratory dedicated to St
Andrew. The
king and
nobles of the district endowed him with estates until he was at last able to build a church, over which Alcuin afterwards ruled.
A disciple of St.
Wilfrid, he was sent to the Abbey of
Ripon almost as soon as he was weaned. Later he joined the
Benedictines. He spent the years between the ages of 20 and 32 in the
Abbey of Rathmelsigi which was a center of European learning in the 7th century. During this time he studied under
Saint Egbert, who sent him and twelve companions to Christianize the pagan North Germanic tribes of Frisia, at the request of
Pepin, Christian king of the Franks and nominal
suzerain over that region. At the request of Pepin he traveled twice to
Rome, finally being consecrated Bishop of the Frisians in the
Church of St. Cecilia. It was November 21, 695 and he was given the name of Clement. He was also given the
pallium by the pope. He returned to Frisia to preach and to build numerous churches, among them a monastery at Utrecht, where he established his cathedral and is counted the first
Bishop of Utrecht. In 698 he established an abbey at a Roman
villa of Echternach, in Luxemburg near
Trier, which was presented to him by
Irmina, daughter of
Dagobert II, king of the Franks.
Willibrord tried to convert
Radbod, but not succeeding he returned to Fontenelle. It is said that Radbod was nearly
baptised, but refused when he was told that he wouldn't be able to find any of his ancestors in Heaven after his death, since he preferred spending eternity in Hell with his
pagan ancestors than in Heaven with strangers.
Willibrord tried this while on a
Carolingian-sponsored mission into Frisia with the express purpose of trying to convert the pagan
Frisians living there in the hope that, once they'd converted to
Christianity, the Franks could gain control of the important trade port
Dorestad, which they'd up to that point been unable to do.
In 716 the
pagan Radbod, king of the Frisians, retook possession of Frisia, burning churches and killing many missionaries.
After the death of Radbod in 719, Willibrord returned to resume his work, aided by St.
Boniface, and under the protection of
Charles Martel. His frequent visits to the
Abbey of Echternach resulted in his being interred there after his passing, and he was quickly judged to be a
saint. His
feast is celebrated on November 7 outside England, but on November 29 in England, by order of
Pope Leo XIII.
Numerous miracles and relics have been attributed to him, and in one particularly memorable moment, the transport of his relics was celebrated thus "the Five bishops in full pontificals assisted; engaged in the dance were 2 Swiss guards, 16 standard-bearers, 3045 singers, 136 priests, 426 musicians, 15,085 dancers, and 2032 players" (
Studien u. Mittheilungen, 1906, p. 551).
A
Life was written by
Alcuin and dedicated to the Abbot of Echternach. Alcuin probably made use of an older one written by a British monk, which is now lost.
Bede also makes mention of Willibrord. Nothing written by Willibrord can be found save a marginal note in the
Calendar of Echternach giving some chronological data. A copy of the Gospels (
Bibliothèque National, Paris, 9389) under the name of Willibrord is an Irish
codex no doubt brought by Willibrord from Ireland.
Further Information
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