Skip to main content

BL. IDESBALD, ABBOT - 18 APRIL

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN APRIL

Saints celebrated on the 18th of April

WELCOME!

BLESSED IDESBALD, ABBOT

Idesbald's incorrupt body 
(Bernard Picart, 1714)

Idesbald (Idesbaldus), third abbot of the Cistercian monastery Dunes or Dünen (Ten Duinen) in Flanders, is said to have been a descendant of the famous Dutch van der Graght family. A canon of Furnes or Veurne (Furna) at first, he later entered the monastery mentioned, where he became an enthusiastic cantor. Following the voluntary abdication of Abbot Albero in 1155, Idesbald was appointed his successor. He was a man as pious as he was insightful and wise. His vigilance, justice in his judgements, wisdom in punishing, calmness and peacefulness in dealings, truth in speaking, and his positive attitude during periods of illness are particularly mentioned among his qualities.

Even as an abbot he remained as dedicated to church singing as he had been during his early years as a cantor. When Bishop Gerard of Tournai raised the relics of the Scottish king and hermit Saint Guthagon (Guthagonus) at the Oostkerke near Bruges in 1159 (not 1059, as Vol. II. p. 592 erroneously states), Blessed Idesbald was present. Pope Alexander V and Count Philip I of Flanders (1168–1191) assisted Abbot Idesbald with many a flavour.

Eventually, in the year 1167, the twelfth of his abbatial office, he died. God bore witness to the holiness of his servant by several amazing miracles which occurred at his grave. Although he had been buried normally - without any embalming - his body was found intact and emitting a pleasant fragrance on March 9, 1239.  

The monastery was later set on fire by the heretics. As time went on, floods of water from the neighbouring mountains caused additional damage to the buildings, and the body of Blessed Idesbald was soon forgotten. But in 1624 the abbot Bernardus Campmans rediscovered the Blessed's mortal remains. On May 3, Bucelin* mentions a translation from Bogaerden (Bogardium), where the monks at one time fled to for safety, to Bruges. The Bollandists*, however, list him on April 18. 

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 3, Augsburg, 1869, p. 6)

*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 Blessed Idesbald 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





































Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

WELCOME

  Please pick your saints: January - Saints by date  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10    11    12    13    14    15    16    17   18    19    20    21    22    23    24    25    26    27    28    29    30    31   February - Saints by date  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10    11    12    13    14    15    16    17 18    19    20    21    22    23    24    25    26    27    28    29 ...
Post a Comment
Read more

FATIMA APPARITION - 13 AUGUST

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN AUGUST Saints celebrated on the 13th of August Marian Feast Days WELCOME! FATIMA APPARITION - AUGUST 13 The Fatima Children “BUT IN THE END MY IMMACULATE HEART WILL TRIUMPH.” But in the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me; it will be converted, and a certain period of peace will be granted to the world. THE AUGUST 13 EVENTS On August 13, the children were in jail at Ourem. The civil administrator threatened to boil them in oil if they did not tell the Lady’s secret. Though badly frightened, they could not think of disobeying our Lady. In disgust, the administrator finally freed them. A large number of people, not knowing that the children had been kidnapped, went to the Cova for the scheduled appearance of the Lady. At noon, there was a loud clap of thunder. Then, according to an eyewitness: “Right after the thunder came a flash, and immediately we all noticed a little cloud, very white, beautiful and bright,...
Post a Comment
Read more

BL. LUKE KIRBY, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 30 MAY

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY Saints celebrated on the 30th of May WELCOME! BLESSED LUKE KIRBY, PRIEST AND MARTYR 16th century houses, painted by Auguste Mayer He was born in the bishopric of Durham, according to Raissius ; others say at Richmond, in Yorkshire. He was master of arts in one of our universities; but going abroad to Douay, in Flanders, was received into the English college there, 1576, and made priest in 1577; and the year following sent upon the mission. Where he had not been long before he again went abroad, and travelled to Rome, partly for devotion, and partly for further improvement in learning. Here he remained in the English college till 1580, when he returned into England, and was not long after apprehended: for I find by a printed diary of things transacted in the Tower of London from 1580 till 1585, that on the 5th of December, 1580, Luke Kirby, Thomas Cottam , and other priests, were brought to the Tower from other prisons; and that these two, on the 10th...
Post a Comment
Read more