Wigbert

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Bonifatius (left) and Wigbert (stained glass by Alois Plum , 2008)
Depiction of St. Wigbert in St. Marien Burlo with grape and wine barrel

St. Wigbert (also known under the name Wippertus ; * around 670 in Wessex ; † between 732 and 736 or 746 or 747 in Fritzlar ) was Boniface's missionary companion and first abbot of the Benedictine monastery in Fritzlar.

Live and act

Since there is a priest of the same name , Wigbert d. J., seems to have given in Fritzlar, there was already an almost unraveling confusion of information, especially with regard to the chronology . The opinions differ widely in research. The younger Wigbert was also a priest in the monastery; he later became possibly the third abbot of Fritzlar.

Wigbert was a monk from the Anglo-Saxon monastery of Glastonbury and a pupil of Boniface. At the end of the 7th century he evangelized under Willibrord with Bonifatius in Friesland . Around 720 he came to the Hessian-Thuringian mission area. After Bonifatius felled the Donariche near Fritzlar in North Hesse in 723 , he had a chapel built from its wood and a year later founded a monastery at the same location. Wigbert was installed by Boniface as the first abbot and headmaster. From about 737 he was also abbot of the Ohrdruf monastery , where he established a school for messengers of faith in Thuringia. In both monasteries Wigbert was the teacher of Lullus , Megingaud of Würzburg and Sturmius , three outstanding missionaries and later abbots and bishops.

Wigbert died in Fritzlar and was buried there in the basilica , which had been built in place of Boniface's wooden chapel. The date of his death is unknown; The years 732–736 and 746/747 are particularly considered. However, there are only a few relics left in Fritzlar Cathedral since Lullus had the body transferred to Hersfeld in 780 , where Wigbert became the patron saint of the monastery and the city. His bones have disappeared since a fire in the Hersfeld collegiate church .

Wigbert is depicted with a vine knife (or ax ) and grapes . This is based on a miracle story. Accordingly, one day the necessary mass wine was missing . Wigbert took a freshly picked grape, pressed its juice into the measuring cup with his hands and had fermented wine in it. Also with a church model (as founder abbot), or with a dove (?) On the shoulder (plate of the high grave in the crypt of the Fritzlar cathedral).

Catholic memorial days are August 13th and May 23rd .

The Wigbertschule in Hünfeld and the St. Wiperti Church in Quedlinburg are named after him.

literature

  • Karl HeldmannWigbert . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 44, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1898, pp. 512-516.
  • Stefan Schipperges: Bonifatius ac socii eius. A socio-historical investigation of Winfrid-Bonifatius and his circle (= sources and treatises on the Middle Rhine church history. Vol. 79). Society for Middle Rhine Church History, Mainz 1996, ISBN 3-929135-11-6 , pp. 161–164.
  • Karl Schmid : The question of the beginnings of the monastic community in Fulda. In: Karl Schmid (ed.): The monastery community of Fulda in the early Middle Ages (= Münstersche Mittelalter-Schriften. Vol. 8, 1-3). Vol. 1, Fink, Munich 1978, pp. 100-135, here pp. 114-117; 119-127.
  • Harald Wunder: The Wigbert tradition in Hersfeld and Fritzlar. Dissertation, Erlangen-Nürnberg, 1969.

Web links

Commons : Wigbert  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Remarks

  1. Wigbert means "the one who shines in battle". This is made up of Old High German wig (from Old Norse vig , "fight, battle") and bert , "shiny, the glorious".
  2. ^ Stefan Schipperges: Bonifatius ac socii eius. A socio-historical investigation of Winfrid-Bonifatius and his environment. Mainz 1996, pp. 161–164 with note 1632; 1639; 1644.
  3. Cf. Stefan Schipperges: Bonifatius ac socii eius. A socio-historical investigation of Winfrid-Bonifatius and his environment. Mainz 1996, pp. 161-164; Note 1644, p. 162; Note 1660, p. 164.