ST ULRICH OF CLUNY, RELIGIOUS - 10 JULY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JULY

Saints celebrated on the 10th of July

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SAINT ULRICH OF CLUNY, RELIGIOUS

Born in Regensburg in 1015, Saint Ulrich is also spelled Udalricus, Vuldaricus, Wldaricus, Waldarichus and Ulricus. His father's name was Bernolf (Bernulf). Ulrich was pious, collected and eager to learn. He was given to the court of Emperor Henry III, known as the Black, where he had to serve his second wife Agnes, but already in the middle of the 11th century Ulrich is mentioned as a deacon in Freising under the (auxiliary) bishop Nilo. During a famine, he once pledged all his goods here so that he could buy bread for those in need. 

After he had then made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where he bathed in the Jordan River and was almost murdered on the occasion, he and his friend Gerard renounced the world, distributed their wealth among the poor, and after a short stay in Rome joined Cluny at the time when Abbot Hugo (from 1049 to 1121) was in charge. There Ulrich became priest and was entrusted leadership of the novices. Later the abbot gave him the office of confessor to the nuns of Marcignac in the diocese of Autun, which he administered with great blessing. Here he lost the use of one eye as a result of incorrectly used remedies for headaches.

Around 1075 he was sent to become prior in Payerne in the diocese of Lausanne. A while later he withdrew to the Black Forest, where he built a small monastery in Zell (actually Sell, Sella), which was named Prioratus de Sella (Cella Villmari, Cella S. S. App. Petri et Pauli). Bishop Burchard of Basel (1072 - 1105) gave his permission for this institute. A hermit's dwelling was later erected next to the church in the latter location. In the newly built monastery the saint shone with all his virtues. 

The good Lord gave him the gift of miracles, which he humbly used to heal the sick and to quench fires. He was also active as a writer; he authored three books about the habits of Cluny and the life of the Margrave Saint Hermann. As a result of this continued activity, he eventually became completely blind. After two years he went to his heavenly homeland, probably on July 10, 1093. Some calendars state July 4, 11 or 14 as Ulrich's feast day.

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints)

Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Ulrich 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.

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