Richard von Arnsberg
Richard von Arnsberg (also Richard Anglicus , Richard von Wedinghausen ) († 1190 in Wedinghausen ) was a Premonstratensian , religious author and is venerated by the Catholic Church as a blessed .
Life
Richard was probably from England. There is no evidence for the thesis that he was abbot of a monastery in England, resigned from office and came to the continent. He was one of the first canons in Wedinghausen Abbey. He worked as a writer of very high quality manuscripts.
Fonts
Numerous works of his own have been ascribed to him. But today there are only three writings that can really be connected with him. The first was De computu ecclesiae (From the account of the Church), the second was De canone missae (On the canon of the Mass). The last was the Vita S. Ursulae (Description of the life of Saint Ursula ).
Nothing more is known about the former book. A copy that still exists is not known. The work about the fair was later printed several times. It appeared there under the title: Libellus de canone mystici libaminis eiusque ordinibus. Older research had ascribed this work to Hugo von St. Victor from Paris. Today Richard is recognized as an author. This explanation of the Mass was unusual for the time. He does not see the mass as a dramatic representation of a healing-historical process. Rather, he tries to look at the actions and expressions during the liturgy itself and to avoid allegories as much as possible. He attaches particular importance to the symbolism of the cross. His most important work is the biography of St. Ursula. A first version of the Ursula legend dates from around 975, a second from around 1100. On this basis, the Vita developed further, not least through Richard von Arnsberg in the 12th century. He probably made some visions that he added to the legend. His two-volume Vita is the most extensive work on this saint that was created in the Middle Ages. The historian Wilhelm Levison is not entirely sure if the Ursula Vita is to be ascribed to Richard.
Afterlife
Some time after his death, his grave was opened. The historian Caesarius von Heisterbach reported: “An excellent and very hardworking writer was the Englishman Richard, a Premonstratensian in Wedinghausen in Westphalia. Twenty years after his death, the hand was found to be well preserved, it was now kept, venerated as a relic and still adorns the altar. "
A precious silver box was created in the 16th century for this relic, known as the “black hand”. This was lost during the Truchsessischen turmoil towards the end of the century. The relic was also lost but was found again in 1714. It still exists today and is shown in the exhibition in the west wing of the monastery.
He is venerated as a blessed by the Catholic Church. His feast day is December 30th.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Gossmann, p. 54
- ↑ Sabine Wienker-Piepho : “The scholar, the wrong” ?: Folklore and cultural history for mastery of script. Münster, p. 298 Partial digitization
literature
- Michael Gosmann: Richard von Arnsberg (+ around 1190) and the "Black Hand" , in: City of Arnsberg (Hrsg.): Arnsbergs Alte Schriften. Manuscripts and prints from seven centuries, Arnsberg 1988, 53–62.
- Winfried Ortmann: "Richard the Englishman" and the "Black Hand." The Wedinghausen Monastery 's early relationship with England . In: Heimatblätter 29/2008, pp. 7-10
- Ekkart Sauser : Richard von Arnsberg. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 17, Bautz, Herzberg 2000, ISBN 3-88309-080-8 , Sp. 1138.
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Richard von Arnsberg |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Richard von Wedinghausen; Richardus Anglicus |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Premonstratensian, religious author and blessed |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 12th Century |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1190 |
| Place of death | Wedinghausen |