(A.D. 1021.)
[German Martyrologies. At Cologne the festival of his translation is
observed on August 30th. Authority:--A Life, by Lambert of Deutz,
written twenty years after the death of Heribert.]
Heribert was born at Worms. His father was a gentleman of rank. His
mother had been carried off into captivity by the Huns, and had been
sold to an honest and good man, who restored her to her parents.
She was grand-daughter of Reginbald, count of Swabia. Heribert was
educated in the abbey of Gorze, in Lorraine, in the diocese of Metz.
His father having recalled him to Worms, the archbishop Hildebald was
so pleased with the young man, that he made him dean of his cathedral,
and destined him to become his successor, but his death before Heribert
had sufficiently established his reputation prevented the fulfilment of
this design. Some years after, Otho III., who had not as yet received
the imperial crown, having been informed of the merit of Heribert,
made him his chancellor, and perceiving his great virtue, obtained his
ordination. Shortly after, the archdiocese of Cologne became vacant,
and this gave rise to party contests, productive of schism in that
Church. The contest was brought to a conclusion by an almost unanimous
election of the chancellor Heribert. He received notice of his having
been chosen, with great regret, and on his induction, on Christmas-eve,
walked barefoot to the cathedral. His reign was a true blessing to the
diocese, through his wise regulations for the maintenance of discipline
among the clergy, and for the systematic relief of the necessitious. He
built and endowed the abbey of Deutz, on the opposite bank of the Rhine
to Cologne; he rebuilt the church of the Apostles, at Cologne, and the
chapel of S. Stephen. In a time of great drought, when the country was
suffering great distress, and the cattle of the poor were perishing, he
went in procession to the church of S. Severinus, and kneeling before
the altar, bowed his head on his hands, and weeping for the misfortunes
of his people, did not raise his head till a thunderstorm broke over
the church.
[Illustration: Two pictures of Saints?() preaching to monks below images
of day and night sky]
[Illustration: SS. JOSEPH AND NICODEMUS ANOINTING THE BODY OF CHRIST.
From a Painting. March 17.]
March 17.
S. JOSEPH OF ARIMATHÆA, _1st cent._
SS. ALEXANDER, _B.M._, AND COMPANIONS, _MM. at Rome_.
SS. MARTYRS _in the temple of Serapis at Alexandria_, A.D. 390.
S. AGRICOLA, _B. at Chalons-sur-Saone_, A.D. 580.
S. PATRICK, _B. Apostle of Ireland_, A.D. 465.
S. GERTRUDE, _V. Abss. of Nivelles, in Brabant_, A.D. 664.
S. WITHBURGA, _V. at Dereham and Ely_, A.D. 743.
S. PAUL, _M. in Cyprus, circ._ A.D. 700.