ST ADALBALD OF OSTREVENT - 2 FEBRUARY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN FEBRUARY

Saints celebrated on the 2nd of February

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SAINT ADALBALD OF OSTREVENT

Adalbald I. (Adalbert, Adalbard) (d. 652) was the son of Gerberga, daughter of the magister militum Richomer and Gertrude of Hamage (d. 649), who founded a nunnery at Wandignies-Hamage near Douai. He was influenced by Saint Amandus.

According to Alban Butler, Adalbald had two brothers, Sigefrid, count of Ponthieu, and Archenald, Mayor of the Palace to Clovis II, son of Dagobert, to whom they were related. His relationship with Merovingian King Dagobert has been proposed to have been through his mother Gerberga, and her sister Bertrude (or perhaps Haldetrude, Clothar's first wife). 

Adalbald was a leading noble and claimed lordship of Douai. In 630, Adalbald founded Marchiennes Abbey. During a military expedition in Gascony, he met and married Rictrudis of Marchiennes, daughter of Ernoldo, lord of Toulouse, despite the opposition of both families. Although her parents approved, others opposed a marriage to a Frank. The marriage was said to be happy. They had four children: Saint Mauront (Maurant), abbot of Breuil (d. 702); Saint Eusebia of Douai (also known as Ysoie) (d. c. 680), abbess of Hamage Abbey near Arras; Saint Adalsenda, a nun at Hamage (d. 714); and Clotsinde  (d. 714). 

The couple opened their castle to the poor and disadvantaged. The hermit-monk Richarius was a family friend. Adalbald's wife made Marchiennes Abbey a double monastery in 643.

Adalbald was assassinated in obscure circumstances in 652, near Périgueux during a subsequent expedition to Aquitaine. His body was returned to Flanders and buried at Saint-Amand Abbey where he was venerated as a martyr, as his death had taken place in a region which largely had not yet adopted Christianity. 

After the death of Adalbald, his brother Archenald (Erkenwald) rebuilt the castle of Douai (which gave rise to the town) and founded the church of Our Lady, now dedicated to Saint Amatus.

Saint Adalbald is commemorated on both 2 February 2 (his martyrdom) and  May 2, on which date his relics were translated to Douai in 1221.

Source:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adalbard

PRAYER:

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