lundi 20 février 2017

Saint WULFRIC (ULRIC) d'HASELBURY (HESELBOROUGH), ermite


St Michael and All Angels' Church, Haselbury Plucknett


Saint Ulric

Ermite près d'Heselborough ( 1154)

ou Wulfric

L'abbé cistercien Jean de Ford a écrit sa biographie.

En anglais:

The Life of Wulfric of Haselbury, Anchorite, John of Forde.

- voir aussi: Wulfric 1125­-1154 à St. Michael's, Haselbury

SOURCE : http://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/678/Saint-Ulric.html

Wulfric of Haselbury, Hermit (AC)

(also known as Ulfrick, Ulric)

Born at Compton Martin (near Bristol), England; died at Haselbury, Somerset, England, in February 20, 1154. Saint Wulfric was an ordained priest, but not because he felt a religious vocation. He like to hunt and eat and party with the lords of the manors near Deverill, Wiltshire, England. He performed all the functions of a priest, but he did not have his heart in them.

Legend reports that, one day in the early 1120's while he was a priest at Deverill, near Warminster, he was suddenly touched by divine grace. Some say that he had underwent a metanoia during a chance encounter with a beggar. Other say that Wulfric was converted to a life of penance one day upon recitation of the Lavabo verse: "I will wash my hands among the innocent." It was as if all the easy ways of his past rose up at once to torment him, and he fled immediately to a place in search of solitude.

We don't know how long he remained a hermit, but there are seemingly endless reports of his austerities and arduous mortifications: going down in the icy waters to recite the Psalms, flagellations, prostrations, mail-shirts. When Wulfric finally returned to his flock, he was a new man. He ministered to his flock until 1125.

A knight offered him a cell adjoining a church at Haselbury- Plunkett (Plucknett) near Exeter in Somerset. He had no official episcopal authorization, but was supported by the neighboring Cluniac monks of Montacute. There he lived the remainder of his life, starving himself until his body was skin and bones. He was famous for his gift of prophecy and for his priestly care of all who sought his counsel, including Kings Henry I and Stephen. In 1130, Henry and Queen Adela obtained through his intercession the healing of the knight Drogo de Munci from paralysis. In 1133, Wulfric prophesied the death of the king which occurred in 1135. Stephen visited him with his brother, Henry of Blois, bishop of Winchester, when Wulfric greeted him as king even before his disputed accession. On another occasion, Wulfric reproached him for misgovernment.

A curious story is recounted in detail that he cut the iron links of his mail-shirt with ordinary scissors as if they were only linen in order to shorten it to permit the numerous prostrations that were a part of the penitential exercises of that era. He said Mass daily with the assistance of a boy named Osbern, who later became a priest and who recorded Wulfric's vita. The near- contemporary life of Wulfric by Abbot John of Ford is accurate and informative.

The saint employed himself primarily in copying books, which he bound himself. He also made elements for the celebration of Mass. Many miracles were attributed to his intercession, both in this life and after his death. (Although the first miracle at his tomb is not recorded to have occurred until 1169; they were numerous between 1185 to 1235.) The Cistercians lay claim to Wulfric, as did the monks of Montacute, but he was unaffiliated with an religious order.

Wulfric's cultus was slow to develop. He was mentioned favorably by Henry of Huntingdon, Roger of Wendover, and Matthew Paris. William Worcestre and John Leland also mention his tomb. In 1633, John Gerard recorded that his cell was still standing as was his memory. A 16th-century martyrology and a French menology include Saint Wulfric. He is venerated at Haselbury, where he is buried in the cell in which he lived, which is now the site of the church's vestry (Attwater, Benedictines, Encyclopedia, Farmer, Husenbeth, Walsh). 

SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0220.shtml

Saint Wulfric of Haselbury

Also known as

Ulfrick

Ulric

Ulrich

Ulrick

Memorial

20 February

Profile

Though a priest, Wulfric led a worldly life, interested more in hunting and parties with local nobles that in tending to his flock. For unspecified reasons he suddenly realized the error of his ways and repented. Some say it was due to a chance encounter with a beggar; others that he was suddenly moved by recitating the Lavabo verse: “I will wash my hands among the innocent.” Determined to change his life, he retired to live as a hermit near Hazelbury, Somerset, England. He received the gift of prophecy. Counselor to King Henry I and King Stephen. Copied and bound books, and crafted items for use in the Mass. Some orders have tried to claim that Wulfric was a member, but he never joined any.

Born

at Bristol, England

Died

1154 of natural causes

Additional Information

Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate

Lives of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler

Saints of the Day, by Katherine Rabenstein

books

Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints

other sites in english

Catholic Online

fonti in italiano

Santi e Beati

MLA Citation

“Saint Wulfric of Haselbury“. CatholicSaints.Info. 22 May 2020. Web. 23 January 2021. <https://catholicsaints.info/saint-wulfric-of-haselbury/>

SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/saint-wulfric-of-haselbury/

Butler’s Lives of the Saints – Saint Ulrick, Recluse in England

Article

He was born near Bristol, and being promoted to the priesthood, took great pleasure in hunting, till being touched by divine grace, he retired near Heselborough in Dorsetshire, where he led a most austere and holy life. He died on the 20th of February in 1154.

MLA Citation

Father Alban Butler. “Saint Ulrick, Recluse in England”. Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Principal Saints1866. CatholicSaints.Info. 20 February 2013. Web. 23 January 2021. <https://catholicsaints.info/butlers-lives-of-the-saints-saint-ulrick-recluse-in-england/>

SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/butlers-lives-of-the-saints-saint-ulrick-recluse-in-england/

History

Beginnings

The Parish Church of St. Michael and All Angels is much older than the facade of its Victorian nave would suggest.

It is likely that a church has stood on, or near, this spot for almost a thousand years. Certainly, a church named St. Michael’s was in existence in 1125, when the anchorite Wulfric came to Haselbury. For details please refer to the Wulfric page on this website or see the Life of Wulfric of Haselbury by Abbot John of Forde Abbey. (see below)

In 1174 St Michael’s and its tithe income was given to Wells cathedral to support a Prebendary there. The ancient Prebendal Stalls can still be seen today in the Cathedral and Chapter House in Wells.

Wulfric at St. Michael’s, 1125-­1154

In the year 1125 St Michael’s became the home of Wulfric, a middle-­‐aged priest from Compton Martin on the Mendips, who wished to spend the rest of his life as an Anchorite, – “withdrawn from the world” – living in a “Cell” adjacent to the church. This Cell stood on the cold northern side of the Chancel where today’s Vestry is found. In writing up Wulfric’s life story, Abbot John of Forde Abbey tells us how, for 29 years Wulfric lived alone in these simple quarters, devoting much of his time to reading the Bible and praying. In keeping with the ideals of medieval spirituality, he adopted stern ascetic practices: he deprived himself of sleep, ate a frugal meatless diet, spent hours reciting the psalms sitting in a bath of cold water, and wore a hair shirt and heavy chain-­‐mail tunic.

His faithful prayer resulted in great holiness and wisdom and soon people high and low came to him for guidance and blessing. Visitors even included two Kings, Henry I and Stephen. Wulfric received the gifts of prophecy and healing and was involved in many miraculous happenings. This “Man of God” became a healer of body, mind and spirit for all those who sought him out. One of the most influential anchorite priests of medieval England, he died in his Cell on the 20th February 1154.

At his death, an unseemly scuffle occurred in and around St. Michael’s between black-­‐robed Norman Cluniac monks from Montacute and folk from Haselbury and Crewkerne who had been summoned by Osbern, the Haselbury Priest. The monks maintained that providing food for the anchorite, which they had done for many years, gave them a claim to the holy man’s mortal remains. But the locals forced them to withdraw and Wulfric was buried in his cell by his Bishop Robert of Lewes, a predecessor of the current Bishop of Bath and Wells. Wulfric had always respected the authority of the Bishop. For security reasons, Osbern moved Wulfric’s remains twice, until they came to rest somewhere near the west end of the church, “…in a place known only to himself and God”.

It is not known whether Wulfric was ever formally canonised, i.e. declared a Saint, but he has certainly been portrayed as one down the centuries. His life has a lot to teach us, even today in the 21st century. Looking at Wulfric we realise that those who truly seek God often withdraw from normal daily pursuits and cherish solitude and quiet. In their quest for a contemplative life they are filled with God’s Spirit of love and wisdom and develop increasing compassion for those around them. Their holiness becomes known far and wide and brings countless people to their door. Thus they become a source of blessing for their contemporaries.

Further reading: “Wulfric of Haselbury”, Dom Maurice Bell, 1933, Somerset Record Society, Vol 47

“Hermits and Anchorites”, Rotha Mary Clay, 1914

“The Cistercian World: Monastic Writings of the Twelfth Century”, Pauline Matarasso, 1993

“The Life of Wulfric of Haselbury, Anchorite”, John of Forde: Introduction, Translation and Notes by Pauline Matarasso, 2011

SOURCE : https://www.haselburystm.org/history/

Sant' Ulrico Eremita venerato ad Haselbury

20 febbraio

Compton Martin (Bristol, Inghilterra), data ignota - Haselbury (Somersetshire), 20 febbraio 1154

Etimologia: Ulrico = ricco di beni, dal tedesco

Sappiamo quando è morto, ma non quando è nato, né da quale famiglia. Per una parte della sua vita non si sa nulla di lui; poi gradualmente lo si “ritrova” grazie alla fama di santità che lo circonda già da vivo, per esplodere dopo la morte, allorché i fedeli faranno anche a botte per contendersi le sue reliquie. E dire che è partito davvero male. Ha voluto essere prete e lo è diventato, ma di scarto. Più assiduo alla caccia che alla preghiera, ai festini nobiliari che alla cura d’anime.

E non è il solo. Nell’Inghilterra del tempo, dopo la conquista normanna e le lotte per la corona, la famosa Cronaca Anglo-Sassone (iniziata già nel IX secolo) dice che i nobili "furono spergiuri e perdettero la fedeltà al re: e tutto il Paese si ricoprì di castelli". Ogni castello una sfida al sovrano. Molto clero, poi, violava scandalosamente dovere e disciplina ecclesiastica: non si contavano i conviventi con donne; alcuni, anzi, si consideravano “autorizzati” a convivere, dopo il pagamento di una multa. Si ignorava quasi del tutto la distinzione tra la condizione del laico e quella dell’uomo di Chiesa.

Questa la situazione e questi gli esempi che ha trovato il sacerdote Ulrico. O meglio: alcuni esempi. Perché poi ne conosce altri. Dopo gli esempi ribaldi dei nobili, eccolo di fronte alla realtà vastissima e muta dei nullatenenti. Eccolo in ascolto del “sermone” che lo aiuterà a capire. Parla a lungo con un mendicante (uno dei molti). Ma soprattutto lo ascolta. Capisce, impara, si vergogna. Trova poi altri esempi in mezzo a uomini di Chiesa del tutto nuovi: quei faticatori taciturni vestiti di bianco, i cistercensi, che nelle campagne più abbandonate e improduttive fanno nascere un’agricoltura nuova; e con essa la pastorizia, che darà vita all’industria della lana. Dopodiché vanno a pregare, per ore, di giorno e di notte. E mangiano in silenzio. Ulrico scompare dalle feste. Pochi sanno dove sia finito. E pochi lo riconoscerebbero incontrandolo ad Haselbury (Somersetshire) perché indossa un saio malconcio (e sulla nuda pelle porta una maglia di ferro). Celebra la Messa, prega molto, lavora per la Chiesa del luogo, ricopia libri.

E parla. I miserabili trovano in lui la prima persona al mondo che li ascolta. E che risponde a tutti. L’uomo che delle pene altrui fa un problema suo. Ed è proprio la voce della povera gente a farlo conoscere in alto, come eccezionale propagatore di speranza. Dicono che abbia il dono della profezia. Un giorno arriva anche il re Enrico II per ascoltarlo. Ulrico deve rimanere sempre più a lungo nella sua cella, per parlare con tutti. Ormai ci vive, lì dentro. Infine ci muore. E per luogo di sepoltura avrà questo piccolo vano: la sua cella, che verrà poi trasformata in sagrestia della chiesa di Haselbury.

Autore: Domenico Agasso

SOURCE : http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/42150