Chrodegang of Metz

Saint Chrodegang
Born	8th Century Hesbaye (Belgium)
Died	March 6, 766(766-03-06) Metz
Honored in	Roman Catholicism
Major shrine	Gorze Abbey
Feast	March 6

Saint Chrodegang (died 6 March 766) was the Frankish Bishop of Metz from 742 or 748 until his death.^[1]

Biography

He was born in the early eighth century at Hesbaye (Belgium, around the old Roman civitas of Tongeren) of a noble Frankish family that via his mother Landrada was related to the Robertians, and died at Metz, March 6, 766.

He was educated at the court of Charles Martel, became his private secretary, then chancellor, and in 737 prime minister. On 1 March, 742, he was appointed Bishop of Metz, while still retaining his civil office.

In 748 he founded Gorze Abbey (near Metz). He also established Saint Peter's on the Moselle, and did much for Gengenbach and Lorsch. For the latter he is said to have obtained the relics of Saint Nazarius, and for Gorze those of Saint Gorgonius. In 753 he was sent to Pope Stephen II to assure him of the sympathy of the Frankish rulers against the inroads of Aistulf, King of the Lombards. He accompanied the pope to Ponthieu.

After the death of St. Boniface, Pope Stephen conferred the pallium on St. Chrodegang (754–755), thus making him an archbishop, but not elevating the See of Metz. In 762, during a dangerous illness, he introduced among his priests a confraternity of prayer known as the League of Attigny. St. Chrodegang was well versed in Latin and German. He died at Metz and was buried in Gorze Abbey, the site of his principal shrine.

Rule of Chrodegang

In his diocese he introduced the Roman Liturgy and chant, community life for the clergy of his cathedral, and wrote a special rule for them, the Regula Canonicorum, later known as Rule of Chrodegang. The rule containing thirty-four chapters which he gave his clergy (circa 755) was modeled according to the rules of St. Benedict and of the Canons of the Lateran. Through it he gave a mighty impulse to the spread of community life among the secular clergy. It was later extended to eighty-six chapters.

It seems probable that the Rule of Chrodegang was brought by Irish monks to their native land from the monasteries of north-eastern Gaul, and that Irish anchorites originally unfettered by the rules of the cloister bound themselves by it.

In the course of the 9th century we find mention of nine places in Ireland (including Armagh, Clonmacnoise, Clones, Devenish and Sligo) where communities of these Culdees were established as a kind of annex to the regular monastic institutions. They seem especially to have had the care of the poor and the sick, and were interested in the musical part of worship.

References

1. ^ Spellings of his name in (Latin) primary sources are extremely varied: Chrodegangus, Grodegandus, Grodegangus, Grodogangus, Chrodogandus, Krodegandus, Chrodegrangus, Chrotgangus, Ruotgangus, Droctegangus, Chrodegand, and Sirigangus. In English it is also found as Godegrand, Gundigran, Ratgang, Rodigang, and Sirigang.

Sources

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed (1913). "St. Chrodegang". Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company. 
• J. D. Mansi, XIV, 313
• Hardouin, IV 1181
• J. P. Migne, Patrologia Latina, LXXXIX, 1097
• D'Achéry, Spicilegium, I, 656
• Claussen, M. A. The Reform of the Frankish Church: Chrodegang of Metz and the Regula Canonicorum in the Eighth Century. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004. ISBN 0-521-83931-9.

Persondata
Name	Chrodegang Of Metz
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth
Place of birth	Hesbaye (Belgium)
Date of death	March 6, 0766
Place of death	Metz