Philibert of Jumieges
(c. 608–684) was an
abbot
and
monastic
founder, particularly associated with
Jumieges Abbey
.
Life
[
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]
Philibert was born in
Gascony
, the only son of Filibaud, a magistrate of Vicus Julius (now
Aire-sur-l'Adour
). When he came of age he was given a place at the court of
Dagobert I
at
Metz
, where he met Saints
Ouen
and
Wandregisel
.
[1]
He received permission of the king to become a monk and entered the monastery of
Rebais
, which had been founded by Ouen and his brothers on land donated by the king. In 650, he succeeded his friend
Agilus
as abbot, but internal disagreements arose as to the more or less rigorous practice of the rule of
Columbanus
. He left and spent some time traveling round monasteries studying their Rules and constitutions.
Jumieges
[
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In 654, through the influence of Queen
Balthild of Chelles
, Philibert received a gift of land from
Clovis II
on which he founded
Notre Dame de Jumieges
.
[2]
He drew up a Rule based on his studies for this and for his later foundations, drawing on several earlier Rules, including those of
Benedict
,
Macarius
,
Basil the Great
and particularly the strict rule of
Columbanus
. The monks' chief work was the reclaiming of waste lands.
[1]
He welcomed the poor and pilgrims. An important spiritual place, Jumieges became renowned and several notables and abbots came to consult Philibert.
Philibert did not hesitate to confront
Ebroin
, the mayor of the palace of
Neustria
, about his treat of
Leodegar
,
Bishop of Autun
, who had died a martyr. Ebroin then saw to it that for a time Philibert lost the favour of Ouen and the royal family. He was briefly imprisoned then not permitted to return to Jumieges. He chose exile from
Neustria
and withdrew to
Austrasia
and the court of Bishop
Ansoald
of
Poitiers
who put his own foundation of Lucon Abbey under Philibert's charge.
Noirmoutier
[
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]
Around 676, Philibert decided to found a new monastery on the island of Her (Noirmoutier) with the agreement of the bishop Ansoald who granted him some land. On the island, in addition to evangelization, the monks carried out important work: agricultural development, irrigation, communication routes, salt exploitation, and construction of monastic buildings. The bishop also gave him land at Deas which became the
abbey
of
Saint-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu
. (Around 847, the monks of Noirmoutier built a Carolingian
priory church
in Saint-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu in his honor.) Five years later, still with the bishop of Poitiers, he developed, with monks from Noirmoutier, a priory that would become the royal abbey of
Saint-Michel-en-l'Herm
, partly at the origin of the
Marais Poitevin
.
Later life
[
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After the death of Ebroin in 681, Philibert returned briefly to Jumieges, but did not stay as he was by then deeply involved with Noirmoutier. Before leaving the place for the last time, he reconciled with his friend Saint Ouen. When he regained the favour of his patrons, he founded other houses, including the nunneries at
Pavilly
and in 682
Montivilliers Abbey
. On his return, he continued supervising his various foundations. Philibert died and was buried at Heriou.
Veneration
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]
In 836 the monks of
Noirmoutier
abandoned their home in the face of the
Viking
attacks to seek refuge on the mainland, in 875 finally settling with the relics of Philibert in the abbey at
Tournus
named in his honour, where the great church of
St Philibert at Tournus
still stands. This translation by the monks of Noirmoutier gave rise to several foundations and numerous Carolingian endowments, creating a large monastic network.
The relics of the saint are kept in the choir of the Saint-Philibert abbey of Tournus, inside a reliquary, the work of the artist
Goudji
. They were desecrated on January 25, 1998; the skull of the saint and two of his bones having been stolen.
Among those inspired by Philibert's example was the Irish monk
Sidonius
of Jumieges, who founded the monastery at
Saint-Saens
.
Philibert of Jumieges' feast day is 20 August. The filbert, or hazelnut, is said to have been named after him, since it ripens about August 20 in England.
Villages bear his name in the
Rhone Valley
, in
Anjou
, in Normandy and in
Brittany
.
References
[
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]
Sources
[
edit
]
- Farmer, David (ed.), 2004.
Oxford Dictionary of Saints
. Oxford: OUP (5th edn).
- Krusch, B. (ed.).
Vita Filiberti
(
Monumenta Germaniae Historica
, Scriptores Rerum Merovingicarum V, pp. 568?606).
- Poupardin, R., 1905.
Monuments de l'histoire des abbayes de saint Philibert
.
See also
[
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]
Saint-Philibert de Noirmoutier Abbey
External links
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