Wandregisel

Saint Wandregisel (or Wandrille) was a Frank born in Austrasia in the neighbourhood of Verdun in the late 6th or early 7th century. After a religious life he died in 668.

Wandregisel was a relative of Pepin of Landen who was maior domus of Austrasia. Due to his family he became at young age a courtier at the Austrasian court. His parents arranged a marriage as usual, but against his wishes for Wandregisel was longing for a religious life. After his wife gave birth to the later Saint Landrada they both agreed and each went into a monastery about the year 628. It is unknown what this meant for the young Landrada.

Wandregisel first put himself under the guidance of Saint Balderic, who was abbot at the monastery of Montfaucon, near Verdun. This happened with objection from King Dagobert I who did not want to loose a reliable servant.After spending some months with Balderic Wandregisel needed solitude for a time, so he retired to the woods at the river Doubs at Saint-Ursanne in the Jura, where he lived for 5 or 6 years. According to his vita he tried to sleep only 2 hours a night and eating only 2 times a week. Maybe due to the ascetic commandments of Saint Columbanus. By this time he had gathered a group of followers.

After the years of solitude he went to the Columbanon monastery in Bobbio Abbey, and after that to the abbey of Romain-Moutier, on the Isere, where he lived for 10 years, perfecting himself in the rules and exercises of the cenobitical life. He was guided by Saint Audoin, who was then Archbishop of Rouen, and in whose diocese he worked for a time.

Finally Wandregisel founded Fontenelle Abbey, near Caudebec-en-Caux. In a short time he was the head of a large community. The abbey church was consecrated by Audoin.

In July 668 Wandregisel became ill, and fever took him up in ecstatic dreams. He realised his time had come and spoke his last words to his followers, after which he died. After his death Wandregisel became venerated as a saint and his feast day is July 22. His French name Saint Wandrille became a synonym for his Fontenelle Abbey. This abbey has been destroyed several times, both by fire and civil wars, but the ruins still can be seen and there is still a small village Saint-Wandrille-Rançon.

ources

* Alban Butler's Lives of the Saints, edited by Thurston and Attwater