ST ANNEMUND, BISHOP OF LYON

ST ANNEMUND, BISHOP OF LYON - 28 SEPTEMBER

SAINT ANNEMUND, BISHOP OF LYON

Saint Annemund (Anemundus, Aonemundus, Aunemundus, Cannemundus, Unemundus, Munemundus, Ennemundus, Enemundus), also called Dalfinus or Dalvinus (by his family name), the son of the royal prefect Sigo and his wife Petronia, was brought up at the court of the Frankish king Dagobert I (d. 638) and his son Clovis II (d. 656). His biography states that he was a Roman by birth. This is not to be taken literally, but rather as an indication that his ancestors were descended from Rome.

King Clovis II held Annemund in the highest esteem for his rare virtues, and chose him as godfather to his elder son, Clothar III, who ascended the royal throne after the death of his father.

At a later stage Annemund was chosen to head the episcopal see of Lyon (Lyons). He fully justified the confidence placed in him by not only fulfilling all pastoral duties with the greatest precision, but also proving himself a true father to his flock. He completed and restored the buildings of the monastery of St Peter, and populated it with a community of virgins consecrated to God, who devoted themselves to works of charity. The saint also had the joy of receiving St Wilfrid and St Benedict Biscop as honoured guests, as they passed through Lyon on their way from England to Rome.

When, after the death of King Clovis II, the regency in the person of St Bathild came into force, he was accused of lese majeste and assassinated on September 28, 659 (according to Butler*, in 657).

The holy regent was aghast to learn of this crime.

Historians relate the events leading up to the murder in different ways, depending on whether they were from France or England. According to French writers, the greats of the empire had long harboured a grudge against Annemund, since he was held in such high esteem by King Clovis II, and were only waiting for a chance to get rid of him. Their opportunity came with the regency. His adversaries accused the saint of having rebelled against the legitimate king (his godfather!) and assassinated Annemund at Chalons-sur-Saone, just as he was on his way to meet the very same monarch.

English writers, such as the venerable Bede, write in the life of St Wilfrid that the Major Domus Ebroin murdered him out of fear that Annemund would make public the oppressions Ebroin had committed against the people of Lyon.

All in all, there was a great dispute regarding the life and violent death of this saint, and the Bollandists* in their work dedicate a lengthy piece about all the issues surrounding Annemund.

Some writers considered St Annemund and Dalfinus (which was merely the surname of the former) to be two different people; others considered him to be the same person as Sigobrand, who was Bishop of Paris. Again, there was a dispute as to whether Brunehild should be read in the sources instead of Bathild, and whether she (St Bathild) knew about the murder of our saint, etc. Bollandus*, the founder of the great hagiographic work, attempted to shed some light on the matter in the life of St Bathild.

The body of St Annemund was brought back from Chalons to Lyon and buried there in the church of the convent he had restored. According to Butler*, he is especially invoked against the dropsy (called morbus caducus by him), probably because after Annemund's death many who were afflicted with this disease were cured through his intercession. The women's branch of the "Christian Association" in Paris received the house of St Annemund there in 1683 and named themselves after this saint.

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 1, Augsburg, 1858, pp. 229-30)

*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 Annemund 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

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