Saint Aldric ( – 7 January 856) was

Bishop of Le Mans The Diocese of Le Mans (Latin: ''Dioecesis Cenomanensis''; French: ''Diocèse du Mans'') is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in France. The diocese is now a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Rennes, Dol, and Saint-Malo, but had previ ...

in the time of

Louis the Pious Louis the Pious (; ; ; 16 April 778 – 20 June 840), also called the Fair and the Debonaire, was King of the Franks and Holy Roman Emperor, co-emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813. He was also King of Aquitaine from 781. As the only ...

Life

Aldric was born into a noble family, of partly Saxon and partly Bavarian extraction, about the year 800. At the age of twelve he was placed by his father in the court of

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...

, in the household of his son

at Aix la Chapelle. Aldric was highly esteemed by both monarchs, but at the age of twenty-one he withdrew to

Metz Metz ( , , , then ) is a city in northeast France located at the confluence of the Moselle (river), Moselle and the Seille (Moselle), Seille rivers. Metz is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Moselle (department), Moselle Departments ...

and became a priest. He was given a

prebend A prebendary is a member of the Catholic or Anglican clergy, a form of canon with a role in the administration of a cathedral or collegiate church. When attending services, prebendaries sit in particular seats, usually at the back of the choir ...

at St. Stephen's. He was then recalled to the court by Louis, who took him as his chaplain and the guide of his conscience.Campbell, Thomas. "St. Aldric". The Catholic Encyclopedia
Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 12 April 2020 Nine years after his ordination, Aldric was made Bishop of Le Mans. He was consecrated on 22 December. The emperor arrived at Mans three days after, and kept the Christmas holy-days with him.Butler, Alban. "Saint Aldric, Bishop of Mans, Confessor". ''Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Principal Saints'', 1866. CatholicSaints.Info. 6 January 2013
/ref> He was a learned and pious prelate, devoted to the poor and to the religious interests of his Diocese. Apart from being conspicuously virtuous, he showed a practical turn in building aqueducts and ransoming captives, as well as building new churches and restoring monasteries. In the civil wars which followed the death of Louis, Aldric's loyalty to

Charles the Bald Charles the Bald (; 13 June 823 – 6 October 877), also known as CharlesII, was a 9th-century king of West Francia (843–877), King of Italy (875–877) and emperor of the Carolingian Empire (875–877). After a series of civil wars during t ...

resulted in his expulsion from his see, and he withdrew to

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

.Sabine Baring-Gould. "Saint Aldric, Bishop of Mans". ''Lives of the Saints'', 1897. CatholicSaints.Info. 6 January 2014
/ref> Gregory IV reinstated him. In 836, as an emissary of the Council of Aix la Chapelle Aldric visited Pepin I, who was then

King of Aquitaine The Duchy of Aquitaine (, ; , ) was a historical fiefdom located in the western, central, and southern areas of present-day France, south of the river Loire. The full extent of the duchy, as well as its name, fluctuated greatly over the centuries ...

, with Erchenrad,

Bishop of Paris The Archdiocese of Paris (; ) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in France. It is one of twenty-three archdioceses in France. The original diocese is traditionally thought to have been create ...

, and persuaded Pepin to order that all the possessions of the Church which had been seized by his followers should be restored. Aldric took part in the Councils of Paris in 846 and Tours in 849. The two last years of his life he was confined to his bed by a palsy. He died at Le Mans on 7 January 856 and was buried in the church of Saint Vincent, having been bishop for twenty-four years. He was succeeded by Robert (bishop of Le Mans).

References

Relevant works

*'' Actus Pontificum Cenomannis (in urbe degentium)'', 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 A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

: Julianus, Turibius, Pavatius, Romanus, 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.

Life

References

Relevant works

Further reading