Saint Wulfran
Archevêque de Sens
(647-720)
Saint Wulfran était fils d'un officier du roi Dagobert; il passa quelques années à la cour, mais il n'échoua point contre les écueils où la vertu des grands fait si souvent naufrage, et sut allier toujours les devoirs de son état avec la pratique des maximes de l'Évangile.
Élevé sur le siège archiépiscopal de Sens, il se livra tout entier aux oeuvres de son saint ministère. Après avoir gouverné son diocèse pendant deux ans et demi à peine, il se sentit intérieurement sollicité d'aller prêcher l'Évangile aux Frisons. Il s'embarqua avec plusieurs religieux décidés à courir tous les dangers de son apostolat.
Pendant la traversée, un fait miraculeux fit connaître le mérite de l'évêque missionnaire. Comme il disait la Messe sur le navire, celui qui faisait l'office de diacre laissa tomber la patène à la mer; Wulfran lui commanda de mettre la main à l'endroit où la patène était tombée, et aussitôt elle remonta du fond des eaux jusque dans sa main, à l'admiration de tous.
A force de miracles, le courageux apôtre opéra chez les sauvages Frisons de nombreuses conversions. Wulfran, son oeuvre à peu près terminée, alla passer le reste de ses jours dans un monastère; sa sainte mort arriva vers l'an 720. Saint Wulfran a toujours été très honoré en Picardie, et de nombreuses faveurs ont été obtenues de Dieu par son intercession.
Abbé L. Jaud, Vie des Saints pour tous les jours de l'année, Tours, Mame, 1950
Saint
Wulfran
Confesseur - Archevêque de Sens (✝ 720)
ou Vulfran.
Il était le fils d'un officier de l'armée de Clovis II. Quand il perdit son père, il quitta la cour, distribua ses biens aux pauvres et donna ses terres à l'abbaye de Fontenelle. En 682, il fut nommé au siège épiscopal de Sens et, de là, partit évangéliser la Frise où il obtint la conversion du chef de ce pays. Il rentra à Fontenelle pour y mourir. Ses reliques sont toujours vénérées à Abbeville.
Au monastère de Fontenelle, vers 700, la mise au tombeau de saint Vulfran. Moine élu évêque de Sens, il entreprit, après quelques années, de porter l’annonce de l’Évangile au peuple de la Frise et, revenu au monastère de Fontenelle, il y termina ses jours.
Martyrologe
romain
SOURCE : http://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/841/Saint-Wulfran.html
Saint Wulfran
Évêque de Sens
(7ème s.)
Martyrologe Romain :
Au monastère de Fontenelle, vers 700, la mise au tombeau de saint Vulfran.
Moine élu évêque de Sens, il entreprit, après quelques années, de porter
l’annonce de l’Évangile au peuple de la Frise et, revenu au monastère de
Fontenelle, il y termina ses jours.
Saint
Wulfran était fils d’un officier du roi Dagobert. ll passa quelques années à la
cour sous Clotaire III et sainte Bathilde, sa mère ; mais il n’échoua
point contre les écueils où la vertu des courtisans fait si souvent naufrage.
Il sut allier les devoirs de son état avec la pratique des maximes de
l’Évangile. Il avait une estime particulière pour les vrais serviteurs de Dieu.
Ayant été élevé sur le siège de Sens en 682, il se livra tout entier aux
fonctions de l’épiscopat ; mais à peine eut-il gouverné son diocèse deux
ans et demi, qu’il résolut de le quitter pour aller prêcher la foi dans la
Frise, à l’exemple de plusieurs missionnaires anglais qui travaillaient de ce
côté-là. Il s’y rendit donc après avoir fait une retraite, et
ses prédications eurent les plus heureux succès. Un grand nombre de
personnes, parmi lesquelles on comptait le fils du roi Radhod, se convertirent
et reçurent le baptême.
Ce saint sauva la vie à un malheureux nommé Ovon, destiné par le sort à être immolé aux idoles. Ayant été pendu, il resta deux heures à la potence de sorte que tout le monde le croyait mort ; mais la corde ayant cassé par la vertu des prières de Wulfran, Ovon tomba par terre et se trouva plein de vie. Le saint à qui on le donna, l'instruisit des vérités de la religion. Ovon fut depuis moine et prêtre de Saint-Wandrille. Wulfran rendit aussi la vie à deux enfants qu'on avait jetés dans la mer en l'honneur des idoles du pays. Notre saint se retira ensuite au monastère de Saint-Wandrille, où il mourut en 720.
Pratique : Ayez une estime particulière pour ceux qui procurent la gloire de Dieu.
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St. Wulfram
(VULFRAMNUS.)
Bishop of Sens, missionary in Frisi,
born at Milly near Fontainebleau, probably during the reign of Clovis II
(638-56); died 20 March, before 704, in which year a translation of his body
took place (Duchesne, "Fastes épiscopaux de l'ancienne Gaule", II,
Paris, 1900, 413). His father Fulbert stood high in the esteem of Dagobert I
and Clovis II. Wulfram received a good education, and was ordained priest. He intended to spend a secluded life but was called to the Court of Theodoric III of Neustria and from
there was elevated to the episcopacy of Sens, 684 (690, 692). He was present at an assembly of bishops in 693
at Valenciennes. Two years later he resigned and retired to the Abbey of
Fontanelle. During the second journey of St.
Boniface to Rome Wulfram
is said to have preached in Frisia. He tried to convert Radbod, but not succeeding he returned to Fontanelle. Some authorities record another and longer stay in
Frisia, but, as neither Bede nor Alcuin mention
his missionary labour there, it is barely possible. The relics of the saint were
brought to Notre Dame at
Abbeville in 1058. His feast is celebrated 20 March.
Sources
Acta SS., III March, 143; MABILLON, Acta SS. O. S.
B., III, i, 340; BENNETT in Dict. Christ. Biog., s.v. Wulframnus, St.;
DELETOILLE, Éloge de St. Wulfran (Paris, 1808); GLAISTER, Life and times of St.
Wulfram, bishop and missionary (London, 1878); LA VIEILLE, ed. SAUVAGE, Abrégé de la
vie et miracles de St. Wulfran (Rouen, 1876); LEFRANC, L'authenticite des
religues de St. Wulfran. . . réponse à . .Sauvage (Paris, 1890).
Mershman, Francis. "St. Wulfram." The
Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 9 Apr. 2015 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15716a.htm>.
Transcription. This article was transcribed for
New Advent by Thomas M. Barrett. Dedicated to Saint Wulfram.
Ecclesiastical
approbation. Nihil Obstat. October 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of
New York.
SOURCE : http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15716a.htm
Wulfram of Fontenelle, OSB B (RM)
(also known as Wolfram, Wulfrannus)
Died at Fontenelle, France, April 20, c. 703 (or 720?); feast of his translation, October 15. The story of Saint Wulfram takes us back to the days of the Franks and the dark gods of the north, and of the wild Teutonic tribes and old Norse sagas, when a handful of devoted men sailed into the northern night with the Cross at their prow and challenged the power of Odin and Thor.
SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0320.shtml
March 20
St. Wulfran, Archbishop of Sens
[And Apostolic Missionary in Friseland.] HIS father was an officer in the armies of King Dagobert, and the saint spent some years in the court of King Clotaire III. and of his mother St. Bathildes, but occupied his heart only on God, despising worldly greatness as empty and dangerous, and daily advancing in virtue in a place where virtue is often little known. His estate of Maurilly he bestowed on the abbey of Fontenelle, or St. Vandrille, in Normandy. He was chosen and consecrated archbishop of Sens, in 682, which diocess he governed during two years and a half with great zeal and sanctity. A tender compassion for the blindness of the idolaters of Friseland, and the example of the English zealous preachers in those parts, moved him to resign his bishopric with proper advice, and after a retreat at Fontenelle, to enter Friseland in quality of a poor missionary priest. He baptized great multitudes, with a son of King Radbod, and drew the people from the barbarous custom of sacrificing men to idols. The lot herein decided, on great festivals, who should be the victim; and the person was instantly hanged or cut in pieces. The lot having fallen on one Ovon, St. Wulfran earnestly begged his life of King Radbod; but the people ran tumultuously to the palace, and would not suffer what they called a sacrilege. After many words, they consented that if the God of Wulfran should save Ovon’s life, he should ever serve him, and be Wulfran’s slave. The saint betook himself to prayer, and the man, after hanging on the gibbet two hours, being left for dead, by the cord breaking fell to the ground; and being found alive was given to the saint, and became a monk and priest at Fontenelle. Wulfran also miraculously rescued two children from being drowned in the sea, in honour of the idols. Radbod, who had been an eye-witness to this last miracle, promised to become a Christian, and was instructed among the catechumens; but his criminal delays rendered him unworthy such a mercy. As he was going to step into the baptismal font, he asked where the great number of his ancestors and nobles were in the next world? The saint replied, that hell is the portion of all who die guilty of idolatry. At which the prince drew back, and refused to be baptized, saying, he would go with the greater number. This tyrant sent afterwards to St. Willebrord to treat with him about his conversion; but before the arrival of the saint was found dead. St. Wulfran retired to Fontenelle, that he might prepare himself for death, and died there on the 20th of April, in 720. His relics were removed to Abbeville, where he is honoured as patron. See his life written by Jonas, monk of Fontenelle, eleven years after his death, purged from spurious additions, by Mabillon, sæc. 3. Ben. Fleury, b. 41. t. 9. p. 190. See also the history of the discovery of his relics at St. Vandrille’s, accompanied with miracles, and the translation to Rouen in 1062, well written by an anonymous author who assisted at that ceremony, several parts of which work are published by D’Achery, Spicil. t. 3. p. 248. the Bollandists and Mabillon. The Bollandists have added a relation of certain miracles said to have been performed by the relics of this saint at Abbeville.
Rev. Alban Butler (1711–73). Volume III: March. The Lives of the Saints. 1866.
SOURCE : http://www.bartleby.com/210/3/202.html
Saint Wulfram of Sens
Wulfram of Fontenelle, OSB B (RM)
(also known as Wolfram, Wulfrannus)
Died at Fontenelle, France, April 20, c. 703 (or 720?); feast of his translation, October 15. The story of Saint Wulfram takes us back to the days of the Franks and the dark gods of the north, and of the wild Teutonic tribes and old Norse sagas, when a handful of devoted men sailed into the northern night with the Cross at their prow and challenged the power of Odin and Thor.
Wulfram came of a
gentler race, born and bred in a civilized land, nurtured in the wealthy home of
his father, an official of King Dagobert. He found his first employment in the
French court under Clotaire III, and, in 682, was rewarded with the
archbishopric of Sens in place of its rightful bishop, Saint Amatus. But,
strangely moved by God's Spirit to acknowledge the see's licit bishop and by
the challenge of the pagan lands, within three years he laid aside his high
employments and gave his property of Maurilly to the Church. In order to
prepare himself to take the Gospel to the Frisians and obtain the help of
monks, he retired for a time at Fontenelle. Then he set sail for Scandinavia
with a small group of followers.
Longfellow in his
poem, The Saga of King Olaf, vividly describes how during the voyage Wulfram,
surrounded by his choristers chanting into the night, held service on deck:
To the ship's bow
he ascended,
By his choristers attended,
Round him were the tapers lighted,
And the sacred incense rose.
On the bow stood Bishop Sigurd,
In his robes as one transfigured,
And the Crucifix he planted
By his choristers attended,
Round him were the tapers lighted,
And the sacred incense rose.
On the bow stood Bishop Sigurd,
In his robes as one transfigured,
And the Crucifix he planted
It was a hard and
evil time, and only with great difficulty did his enterprise make headway. The
son of king Radbod was converted. Wulfram, however, was allowed to settle and
to preach the Gospel. The missionaries had some success, but as in other parts
of Europe during the period, the attitude of the king was likely to be
decisive.
Wulfram found that
children were sacrificed to appease their heathen gods, hung on roadside
gibbets, or fastened to posts on the shore and left to drown with the tide. On
great pagan festivals, the people would cast lots to see who should be
sacrificed. Immediately the chosen one would be hanged or cut into pieces. In
vain he appealed to Radbod to prohibit such inhuman practices, but the king
replied that it was the custom of the country and he could not alter it. He
even cynically challenged Wulfram to rescue the victims if he could, whereupon
Wulfram, taking him at his word, strode into the raging sea to save two
children who were helpless and almost submerged.
At other times he
cut down the bodies of those who were nearly dead from the gallows to which
they were tied and restored them as in the case of Ovon. The lot decided that
Ovon should be sacrificed. Wulfram earnestly begged King Radbod to save him:
but the people ran to the palace, outraged at such a sacrilege. After much
discussion they agreed that if Wulfram's God should save Ovon's life, he should
ever serve him and be Wulfram's slave. The saint went into prayer. After
hanging on the gibbet for two hours, the man was left for dead. The cord
hanging him broke. When the body fell to the ground, Ovon was found to be
alive. He was given to the saint and became a monk and priest at Fontenelle.
The missionaries
and their miracles so impressed the inhabitants that, filled with fear and
wonder, they renounced their false gods and were baptized, and even Radbod
himself was converted. But at the point of baptism, Radbod asked where his
ancestors were. Wulfram answered that hell was the destiny of idolators. Radbod
then declared: "I will go to hell with my ancestors rather than be in
heaven without them." Radbod later sent for Saint Willibrord to baptize
him, but when the saint arrived the king was already dead. Thus, he was never
experienced the mercy of the sacrament.
For twenty years
Wulfram continued his arduous missionary activity until failing health
compelled him to return to France; but always he is remembered as the captain
of a Christian crew, who "bore the White Christ" through the vapors
of the northern night.
His relics were
translated from Fontenelle to Abbeville, where Wulfram is venerated as patron
and where several miracles occurred. In 1062, his relics were moved to Rouen.
Both his feasts are celebrated in Croyland Abbey (Lincolnshire), England,
probably because their abbot Ingulfph (1086-1109) was a monk of Fontenelle. The
vita of Wulfram was written by the monk Jonas of Fontenelle eleven years after
his death (Attwater2, Benedictines, Encyclopedia, Farmer, Gill, Husenbeth).
Saint Wulfram is
depicted in art as baptizing a young king. Sometimes (1) the young king is near
him; (2) he is shown arriving by ship with monks and baptizing the king; or (3)
he is shown baptizing the son of King Radbod (Roeder).
Wulfram is
venerated at Fontenelle, Frisia, and Sens (Roeder).
SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0320.shtml
March 20
St. Wulfran, Archbishop of Sens
[And Apostolic Missionary in Friseland.] HIS father was an officer in the armies of King Dagobert, and the saint spent some years in the court of King Clotaire III. and of his mother St. Bathildes, but occupied his heart only on God, despising worldly greatness as empty and dangerous, and daily advancing in virtue in a place where virtue is often little known. His estate of Maurilly he bestowed on the abbey of Fontenelle, or St. Vandrille, in Normandy. He was chosen and consecrated archbishop of Sens, in 682, which diocess he governed during two years and a half with great zeal and sanctity. A tender compassion for the blindness of the idolaters of Friseland, and the example of the English zealous preachers in those parts, moved him to resign his bishopric with proper advice, and after a retreat at Fontenelle, to enter Friseland in quality of a poor missionary priest. He baptized great multitudes, with a son of King Radbod, and drew the people from the barbarous custom of sacrificing men to idols. The lot herein decided, on great festivals, who should be the victim; and the person was instantly hanged or cut in pieces. The lot having fallen on one Ovon, St. Wulfran earnestly begged his life of King Radbod; but the people ran tumultuously to the palace, and would not suffer what they called a sacrilege. After many words, they consented that if the God of Wulfran should save Ovon’s life, he should ever serve him, and be Wulfran’s slave. The saint betook himself to prayer, and the man, after hanging on the gibbet two hours, being left for dead, by the cord breaking fell to the ground; and being found alive was given to the saint, and became a monk and priest at Fontenelle. Wulfran also miraculously rescued two children from being drowned in the sea, in honour of the idols. Radbod, who had been an eye-witness to this last miracle, promised to become a Christian, and was instructed among the catechumens; but his criminal delays rendered him unworthy such a mercy. As he was going to step into the baptismal font, he asked where the great number of his ancestors and nobles were in the next world? The saint replied, that hell is the portion of all who die guilty of idolatry. At which the prince drew back, and refused to be baptized, saying, he would go with the greater number. This tyrant sent afterwards to St. Willebrord to treat with him about his conversion; but before the arrival of the saint was found dead. St. Wulfran retired to Fontenelle, that he might prepare himself for death, and died there on the 20th of April, in 720. His relics were removed to Abbeville, where he is honoured as patron. See his life written by Jonas, monk of Fontenelle, eleven years after his death, purged from spurious additions, by Mabillon, sæc. 3. Ben. Fleury, b. 41. t. 9. p. 190. See also the history of the discovery of his relics at St. Vandrille’s, accompanied with miracles, and the translation to Rouen in 1062, well written by an anonymous author who assisted at that ceremony, several parts of which work are published by D’Achery, Spicil. t. 3. p. 248. the Bollandists and Mabillon. The Bollandists have added a relation of certain miracles said to have been performed by the relics of this saint at Abbeville.
Rev. Alban Butler (1711–73). Volume III: March. The Lives of the Saints. 1866.
SOURCE : http://www.bartleby.com/210/3/202.html
Saint Wulfram of Sens
Also
known as
- Wulfram
of Fontenelle
- Offran
of…
- Oufran
of…
- Suffrain
of…
- Vuilfran
of…
- Vulfran
of…
- Vulfranno
of…
- Vulphran
of…
- Wilfranus
of…
- Wolfram
of…
- Wolframus
of…
- Wolfran
of…
- Wulframnus
of…
- Wulfran
of…
- Wulfrann
of…
- Wulfrannus
of…
- 20 March
- 15 October (translation of relics)
- 8 November as one of the Saints of the Diocese of Evry
Profile
Son of an official in
the court of King Dagobert. Courtier under Clotaire III. Priest. Benedictine. Archbishop ofSens, France in 682, but in 685 he surrendered his see to Saint Amatus, whom he felt was
the rightfulbishop. Gave away his lands and evangelized the Frisians in Scandanavia with a group of monks for twenty years,
remembered there as the Christian crew who “bore the White Christ” to these people.
Converted the son of King Radbod, and was allowed
to preach the Gospel. He met with
some success, but it was a rough and pagan land. children were sacrificed to heathen gods by hanging or drowning in the sea; people would cast lots at festivals to pick a victim,
and the loser was immediately hanged or cut to pieces. Wulfram appealed to King Radbod to stop the
slaughter, but the king said it was their
custom, and he could not change it. He challenged Wulfram to rescue the victims
if he could; Wulfram then waded into the sea to save two children who had been tied to posts and left to die in the rising tide.
The turning point in the
mission came with the rescue of Ovon. Ovon had been picked by lot to be
sacrificed by hanging. Wulfram begged King Radbod to stop the
killing, but the commoners were outraged at thesacrilege. Wulfram eventually obtained an
agreement that if Wulfram’s God saved Ovon’s life,
Wulfram and the God could have the man. Ovon
was hanged, and swung from the rope for two hours, during which Wulfram prayed. When the heathens decided to leave Ovon for dead, the rope broke, Ovon fell – and was alive. Ovon
became Wulfram’s slave, his follower, a monk, and then a priest at Fontenelle. The faith of themissionaries (and their power to work miracles), frightened and awed the people
who turned from their old ways, and were baptized.
Even King Radbod converted, but just before his baptism, Radbod asked where his ancestors
were. Wulfram told him that idolators went to hell. “I will go to hell with my ancestors,” said the King, “rather than be in heaven without them.” Later, near death, Radbod sent for Saint Willibrord to baptize him, but died before the saint‘s arrival.
Wulfram’s relics were translated from
Fontenelle to Abbeville, and in 1062, they were moved to Rouen,France. The life of Wulfram was written by the monk Jonas of Fontenelle
eleven years after his death.
Born
- c.640; French
- man baptizing a young king
- cleric with a young king nearby
- cleric arriving by ship with monks and baptizing a king
- baptizing the son of King Radbod
