Wigfried

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Wigfried ( Wicfrid, Wigfrid, Wilgfrid, Wilfrid, Wikfried ) (* unknown; † August 31, 983 ) was Bishop of Verdun from 959 (or 962?) To 983.

In the Verdun episcopal chronicle he is referred to as a German of Bavarian origin, but it is difficult to reconcile the fact that he is closely related to several Lorraine nobles. This is how he calls the Counts Leuthard, Rucwin and Richer his nephews, and Godila is named as his niece, who married the Saxon Count Liuthar . The names, like his own and the fact that he is wealthy in the Verdun area, indicate Lorraine ancestry. In other sources he is referred to as the son of Duke Eberhard of Bavaria and his wife Luitgart of Lothringen-Verdun.

He received his training in Cologne , where he enjoyed the direction and trust of Archbishop Brun . His classmates included the later bishops Dietrich von Metz , Gerhard von Toul and Ebrachar von Lüttich . He also owes his episcopal dignity to the great teacher Brun. During the lifetime of Bishop Berengar , who died on August 12, 959 , probably in 958, he was elevated to the position of Bishop of Verdun , probably also because Berengar had become enemies with the Carolingian party, which was then close to the German royal family .

From then on, Wigfried proved to be a loyal pillar of the German policy in Lorraine and France led by Brun . On behalf of the Archbishop of Cologne, he took part in the synod held in the Gau von Meaux in 962 , which had to deal with the occupation of the Reims Archbishopric , and a little later in the consecration of Archbishop Odelrich, who was favored by the Carolingian and German royal houses. In June 965 he was present with the other Lorraine bishops at the court conference in Cologne and then accompanied Archbishop Brun on his trip to Compiègne to settle French affairs . On the way home, he and Dietrich von Metz witnessed the last hours of his patron, who died on October 11, 965 and whose body he escorted to Cologne for burial. In 967 he went to Italy with the young King Otto II and took part in the great Roman synod that negotiated the establishment of the Magdeburg archbishopric .

After returning home, he seems to have devoted himself mainly to caring for his diocese. He passed through his parish, although his health had deteriorated and the symptoms of old age made themselves felt. No less did he endeavor to vigorously promote the monastic life, which in his diocese had awakened very late. While studying the history of his diocese, he became aware of the merits of one of his predecessors, St. Paul, in whose honor he decided to found a monastery.

During his stay in Italy, he received the approval of the emperor and the pope for his plan and, with the support of the latter and Bishop Dietrich von Metz, acquired valuable relics. After he assisted Gerhard von Toul in the consecration of two altars in Metz on August 6, 972 and had attended the Synod in Ingelheim in mid-September, he was able to found the new monastery on April 10, 973 in the presence of the Metz bishop Abbot he ordered the Blicher and documented it with rich possessions. He also proved favorable to the monastery of S. Vanne , which had been given back to monastic life by his predecessor , through donations of considerable amounts of goods, which the reform work begun by Berengar was the first to ensure.

The upswing in ecclesiastical life that he brought about gave him the opportunity to exercise his artistic sense by providing for a precious decoration of the episcopal church and that of the Paul monastery. His literary education also seems to have been not insignificant. It is true that two letters ( D'Achery Spicilegium 12, 349 and 356) that are cited in this regard cannot be addressed to him, but in this regard one can refer to his historical studies and to the careful stylistic treatment of those exhibited by him Remember documents in which echoes of Horace can be found.

We have no more news of his political behavior after 972. Since Count Gottfried von Verdun was loyal to the German imperial family and his brother Adalbero held the archbishop's chair in Reims, there was initially no reason for Wigfried to stand out in this regard. After all, in 980 he was present at the negotiations that led to the peace agreement between Otto II and Lothar . Wigfried died on August 31, 983 even before the terrible turmoil broke out after the death of Otto II, in which Verdun was so hard hit. He was buried in the Paulskirche.

literature

predecessor Office successor
Berengar Bishop of Verdun
958-983 		Hugo II
personal data
SURNAME Wigfried
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Bishop of Verdun
DATE OF BIRTH before 958
DATE OF DEATH August 31, 983