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SAINT LAMBERT, ARCHBISHOP OF LYON - 14 APRIL

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN APRIL

Saints celebrated on the 14th of April

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SAINT LAMBERT, ARCHBISHOP OF LYON

Lambert (Lambertus, Landbertus, Landibertus), first abbot of Fontenelle, then archbishop of Lyon, was born of noble family in the region of Therouanne in northern France. His father Erlebertus is called "Lord of Kern" (Dominus Kernensis); no mention is made of his mother, nor of his early youth. 

In an old biography by Aigradus, a contemporary writer,  of which only a fragment has been found, it says that Lambert performed secular military duties at the court of the young king Clotair III for some time and that he quitted the court in A.D. 663 in order to serve God fully. Various relatives (his uncles Robert and Rotberius¹, and Altbertus) who also lived at the royal court tried everything in their might to dissuade Lambert from leaving. When they saw his steadfastness, however, they themselves escorted him to the the monastery of Fontenelle (Fontanella) in the Diocese of Rouen, which had been founded by Vandregisil (Vandregisilus, Wandregisilus, Wando). This institute, initially called after a spring of water nearby, was later known mainly by the name of its founder, "Saint Vandrille."

In 663, Lambert received the monastic tonsure from the holy abbot Vandregisil, on which occasion his uncles brought precious gifts to the monastery. After the death of the saintly abbot, on his own previous recommendation, our Saint Lambert was elected abbot of this monastery in the same month, which he presided over for 13 years and 8 months, brilliant in all virtues and highly honoured by the Frankish kings Clotair, Childeric and Theodoric, who showered him with many gifts. 

Since King Theodoric gave him the Dusere (Dusera) estate on the Rhone in Provence, he founded a monastery there, and when Bishop Pascharius of Nantes wanted to found a monastery at Aindre (Antrum) on the Loire, he asked monks of Saint Lambert, who then gave him Saint Hermiland (Hermelandus) along with 12 monks, having received due guarantees that the monastery would last. While he was running the monastery at Fontenelle, not only did his uncle Albert (Altbertus) join the ranks of his nephew's monks, but he also had Saint Condedus live under him, as did Saint Erembert (Erembertus). Although the latter had already received the monastic habit from Saint Vandregisil, he had left to become archbishop of Toulouse and finally returned to Fontenelle under Lambert's leadership because of physical infirmity.

Lambert was especially friendly with Saint Ansbert (Ansbertus) who was the man destined to marry the former's cousin, Saint Andragisina, but had also gone to Fontenelle instead and received the habit from Vandregisil. Saint Lambert often consulted with him regarding the management of the monastery, and Ansbertus duly became his successor. 

In the meantime, Archbishop Genesius of Lyon died around the year 678, and the pious king Theodoric, the nobles of the empire, among whom especially Pepin, the son of Ansigisus and relative of Abbot Vandregisil, as well as the clergy and the people elected Lambert Archbishop of the city and diocese mentioned.

In 681, after a long and fruitless refusal, Lambert finally accepted the high dignity allotted to him in all humility. He tended the flock entrusted to him by God  as a good shepherd, both in word and deed.

Archbishop Audoënus of Rouen died on August 29, 683, and Ansbertus was appointed his successor. Archbishop Lambert of Lyon, with the assistance of several bishops, consecrated Ansbertus bishop of Rouen.

According to Zedler*, Lambert was the 39th bishop of Lyon (17. 1487). As for his qualities, his biographer Aigradus says: 'He was chaste indeed, full of love, very strong in faith, prudent in his plans, generous in giving, kind in dealings, willing to all good undertakings, of noble beauty, from the sole of his feet to the head full of grace and dignity etc.' 

The Bollandist Henschenius*, who corrected many mistakes regarding the chronology in the found manuscript of his life story, states that he cannot provide the exact year of Lambert's death; but he remarks that Mabillon* says that the holy Archbishop died in 688. The day of his death is probably April 14, at least his memory of that day is contained in several ancient martyrologies, and the Roman Martyrology, too, lists Saint Lambert on April 14 (II. 215-220).

¹ the father of abbess Andragisina

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 3, Augsburg, 1869, p. 681-83)

*A hagiography source used by the authors 

Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Lambert may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

⬅️ Saint Lambert's entry in the Roman Martyrology

Sources of these articles (in the original German): books.google.co.uk, de-academic.com, zeno.org, openlibrary.org













































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