(A.D. 809.)
[Roman Martyrology, Molanus and Greven in their additions to Usuardus.
The Treves Martyrology, those of Utrecht and S. Gudule at Brussels,
the Benedictine Martyrology, and many others. Authorities:--His
life by Altfrid, B. of Münster, his disciple, derived from personal
knowledge, or from information furnished by the saint's brother
Hildegrim, or by his nephew, Gerfried, or by his sister, Heriburgh.
There are other lives of him in prose, and three styled litanies,
written in rhyme. One of the former is by an anonymous Frieslander,
a contemporary; another by the monks of Werden, composed about 890.
Our saint's name appears in three forms: viz., Ludger, Liudger, and
Luidger. He is commonly called Ludger, a spelling he himself adopts in
his life of Gregory, abbot of Utrecht. He is styled Liudger both in
Altfrid's life of him, and in the verses sent to him from York by a
disciple of Alcuin.]
The abbey of Utrecht, under the presidency of the devoted Gregory,
had sent forth many noble labourers into the mission-field, and many
more had come over from England to take their share in the good work,
and to spread the knowledge of the truth. One of the most eminent of
these was Ludger, the subject of this memoir. His grandfather Wrffing
Ado, a noble Frieslander, though not a believer in the Trinity, was
yet a help to the poor, a defence to the oppressed, and a just judge,
respecting the person of no man. Radbod, king of Friesland, who had
cruelly oppressed his people, banished his best nobles, and sold their
estates, laid a plot against his life. Wrffing received timely warning
of it from one of the king's council, and fled with his wife and son
to Grimoald, "Duke of the Franks," who received him well. There he
was converted to the Catholic faith; he and all his were baptized.
Grimoald was the son-in-law of Radbod, and son of Pepin of Heristal.
While the latter was lying on his death-bed, Grimoald went to see him,
and was assassinated by a Frieslander, in the church of S. Lambert,
in 714. Wrffing received the same kindness from his successors.
Radbod entreated Wrffing to return; when he refused to do so, Radbod
asked him to let his son come back, promising to reinstate him in
his inheritance. Accordingly the younger son Thiadgrim was sent to
Friesland; the king insisted on his living with him, and restored his
father's lands to him.
When Charles Martel added Friesland to his Frankish dominions,
"extincto Radbodo," he not only reinstated Wrffing in his former
possessions, but also gave him land in the neighbourhood of Utrecht
to hold in feoff for S. Willibrord, who was then labouring among the
Frisians, and had fixed his see at Utrecht. Willibrord received all
support and countenance from Wrffing and his family. Both he and his
successor, S. Boniface, were on very friendly terms with them. Perhaps
it was at his grandfather's house that S. Ludger first saw S. Boniface.
Thiadgrim, the younger son, married Liafburg, the daughter of Nothrad
and Aldeburga. The latter gave her two brothers to S. Willibrord, to
educate, and they first of all the Frisians received the clerical
tonsure. Willibraht, the elder brother, died a deacon, the younger,
before he reached that degree.
Liafburg, S. Ludger's mother, narrowly escaped being murdered at the
time of her birth. Her grandmother by the father's side, a fierce old
pagan, was enraged because her daughter-in-law had borne no sons but
only daughters. She sent officers to snatch the new born babe from
its mother, before it had sucked the breast, for it was the custom of
these heathen to kill a child before it had tasted earthly food. This
statement is corroborated by some old Frisian laws edited by Sibrand
Siccaum.
The officers consigned the child to a servant to be drowned. As the
man held the infant over a bucket of water, she stretched out her tiny
arms and grasped with her hands the edge of the bucket, and with
all her feeble might resisted his efforts to drown her. A woman, who
chanced to be near, touched with pity, snatched the infant from the
servant's hands, and ran away with it to her own home; fastening the
door behind her, she hastened to a chamber and placed some honey in the
child's mouth, which it instantly swallowed. The officers were sent
by the heathen beldame to demand the infant: the woman said, "She has
eaten honey," and at the same time she held up to them the child, still
licking its lips: for this reason it was unlawful to kill the child.
The woman gave Liafburg suck from a horn filled with milk, and
receiving all necessaries from the child's mother, she nursed her till
the death of her unnatural grandmother, when Liafburg was received into
her father's house.
Liafburg many years after, when pregnant with Ludger, heard suddenly of
the return of her husband Thiadgrim from a long journey. She ran out to
greet him, and her foot slipping, she fell on a stake, which entered
her side. She was taken up for dead; but by God's mercy she revived,
and in a few days gave birth to Ludger unhurt. This event took place
probably about 744. At his baptism, which is erroneously said by one
chronicler to have been performed by S. Willibrord, who was then dead,
he received the name of Ludger. As soon as he was able to run about, he
used to collect the bark of trees, and to sew them into books, while
the other children were at play. Then he scribbled on them with reeds
dipped in a black liquor and gave them to his nurse to keep as useful
books. If asked, "What hast thou done to-day?" he said, "I have made
books, or I have written or read all day." If asked again, "Who taught
thee?" he replied, "God taught me."
Then, as he grew in grace and years, he earnestly besought his parents
to entrust him to some man of God to be brought up. They accordingly,
probably in 757, gave him to abbot Gregory, a noble Frank, and a
disciple of the great S. Boniface, who had a monastery at Utrecht.
Either here, or before this, Ludger, as he tells us in his life of S.
Gregory, "saw with his own eyes S. Boniface when his head was white
with hoar hairs, and his body decrepit with age." Gregory, he adds, was
his preceptor, "ab infantia," he brought up his disciples with as much
love, zeal, and care, as if he was their father, and they his children;
they were joined to him by a tie of strong affection. He proclaimed
both in deed and in truth, as well as in word the Apostolic utterance
of S. Peter, concerning the calling and election of all nations, "In
every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted
with him." Acts x. 35. For his disciples were gathered not from one
tribe only, but were the flower of all the neighbouring nations; they
were enlightened with wondrous gentleness and spiritual joy, and joined
into one body, because they were begotten in charity of one spiritual
father, and of the one mother of all. "Some were of noble Frank
families; some were English; some of the new planting of God begun
amongst the Frisians and Saxons; some of the Baquarii and the Suevi;
some of whatever nation God hath sent thither: of all these I, Ludger
am the least, yea, the weakest and most insignificant."
"The holy father Gregory bestowed on all these gathered from all parts
into one fold the spiritual food of God's doctrine and Word. Inspired
by God he burned with love for his disciples and for their instruction,
so that scarce a day passed on which he did not sit in the morning to
receive his disciples singly, and to hear their questions, and then he
gave them to drink of the cup of life, and watered them with God's Word
as each had need."
Altfrid tells us that Gregory received Ludger with joy, and found great
pleasure in instructing him, as he was an intelligent and sagacious
child. Under his loving care Ludger advanced in the fear of the Lord,
and laid aside his secular habit in that monastery; perhaps in 760,
and devoted himself wholly to the study of the spiritual science.
Some of his schoolfellows became bishops or teachers of Churches.
Ludger was much loved by them, by reason of his wondrous gentleness
and kindness: his face was cheerful, though he was not easily provoked
to laughter; he combined prudence with moderation in all his actions,
for he constantly meditated on Holy Scripture, and especially upon
those portions of it which pertained to the praise of God, and to the
Catholic faith, for all which reasons he was loved by his venerable
master as an only son.
Alubert came to Utrecht in 766, or 767, being sent by the bishop
of York to preach the Gospel in Frisia. Gregory besought him to be
made a bishop. He consented after some reluctance, provided Gregory
would despatch him to England with some native clergy. Accordingly
he received as companions Sigibod and Ludger. Sigibod was ordained
priest, Ludger deacon, and Alubert bishop at York, probably by Elbert,
who succeeded Egbert in that see on his death in 766. Elbert on his
accession had ordained Alcuin, who was his favourite pupil, deacon,
and made him master of the cathedral seminary. His fame as a teacher
spread far and wide; and students from all parts eagerly sought in York
that instruction which no other master could supply. Ludger assiduously
drank of the stream of knowledge which flowed from his lips, and it was
with reluctance that he accompanied his friends at the end of a year to
Utrecht, which they reached in 768.
His first act was to petition Gregory for leave to return to Alcuin,
and sate himself "with the honey which he had tasted." Gregory
gently but firmly refused his request: finding that in spite of all
persuasion he cherished the determination of journeying to York, he
sent for his father to induce him to desist from his purpose. But the
studious Ludger remained firm, and at last vanquished all opposition
by entreaty. He was accordingly furnished with all necessaries for his
journey.
He stayed three years and a half at York, under Alcuin, where he was
beloved by all for his good character and holy studies.
At this time, when the citizens of York were going forth to battle
against their enemies, the son of an earl of that province was killed
in a quarrel by a Frisian merchant. All Frisians deemed it prudent to
quit England for fear of the wrath of his relatives. Alcuin sent his
deacon Patal with Ludger, lest his love of learning should induce him
to go to some other town of those parts, and he should there fall a
victim to the vengeance of the young earl's friends. He returned home,
in 774, with a large stock of learning and books, and was received
warmly by Gregory.
About or before this time, Liafwin or Lebuin, a learned priest, was
sent from England to Utrecht. He desired to preach the gospel to the
people who dwelt by the river Yssel. The faithful of those parts
first built him a church at Wulfre, on the west side of that river.
Afterwards one was erected at Deventer, on the east side. He gained
so many converts there that the Saxons made a furious attack on the
place, drove out the Christians, and burned the church. When the enemy
had retired, he returned, and rebuilt the church, and laboured there
peacefully and successfully till his death, when he was buried in the
church. Then the Saxons again sacked and burned the church, after
making an ineffectual search for his body.
Albric succeeded his uncle Gregory, who had died about this time.
Ludger gives a touching account of the old man's death. "He had been
smitten with paralysis some years before: as he grew weaker, he eagerly
looked forward for his nephew's return from Italy. When Albric arrived,
he entrusted the monastery to his charge, and prophesied his own
immediate decease. He bade them carry him to the oratory of S. Saviour,
and set him in front of the tabernacle; there he prayed for a time,
and then received the Lord's Body; then, with his eyes fixed on the
altar, and his soul fixed on heaven, he departed to the Lord, whom he
had served so long in sincerity." His death occurred in 776, according
to the Bollandists; in 781 according to the editors of the Benedictine
Acta Sanctorum.
Albric besought Ludger to assume Liafwin's charge, and to rebuild the
church over his body. Being unable to discover his remains, he laid the
foundations of the church within the space in which he thought they
lay. Liafwin appeared to him in a vision of the night, telling him that
his body was buried deep beneath the south wall of the foundations. The
next day it was found in the spot pointed out, and the foundations were
transferred so as to include the saint's tomb within the church. Many
miracles were afterwards wrought at it. Perhaps the Romanesque crypt of
the present vast church of S. Lubien at Deventer marks the site of this
tomb.
Afterwards Albric sent Ludger and others to destroy the heathen temples
and places of worship throughout Friesland. They found a vast quantity
of treasure in them, of which Charlemagne reserved two-thirds, and gave
the other to Albric for his own uses.
When Albric, in 778, was consecrated bishop at Cologne, he caused
Ludger to be raised to the priesthood at the same time, and then sent
him to be teacher of the Church in the canton of Ostracha, where S.
Boniface was martyred. It seems that Ludger erected a church on the
site of his martyrdom, near Dockum, for Alcuin afterwards sent him some
Latin heroic verses to be inscribed on it.
These verses will be found in Migne's edition of Alcuin's works. The
two first of the fourteen lines run thus:--
"Hic pater egregiis meritis Bonifacius almis,
Cum sociis pariter fundebat sanguinis undam."
He also, in turn with Albric and two others, presided over the
monastery at Utrecht for three months in every year. Once, after he had
said the night office, and had laid himself down to rest, "in solario
ecclesiæ," S. Salvatoris, which probably corresponded to our parvise,
or prophet's chamber, abbot Gregory appeared to him in a vision, and
bade him follow him. The old man cast down to him from a higher place,
as it were, pieces of garments and parchments, which he bade him
distribute well. Ludger gathered them into three heaps. Marchelm, the
custodian of the church, in the morning interpreted the dream to mean
that Ludger would be spiritual ruler over three peoples. Then Ludger
exclaimed, "Would that the Lord would give me, instead, fruit in the
place now entrusted to my charge."
Ludger zealously exercised his office among the Frisians, and the seeds
of life, sown by him, watered by dew from above, bore abundant fruit
in the hearts of many. Thus did he avenge the death of S. Boniface by
bringing to the knowledge of the truth those very peoples who had shed
his blood. Again was verified the old saying, "The blood of the martyrs
is the seed of the Church," for that land afterwards brought forth rich
crops of the corn of God's elect.
When Ludger had toiled there nearly seven years, that "root of evil,"
Wittikind, in 784, leader of the Saxons, drove out the servants of God,
burned the churches, and made the Frisians, as far as the river Fleo,
sacrifice again to the false gods. So Ludger dismissed his disciples,
and taking with him his brother, Hildegrim, and another, went to Rome,
where pope Adrian received him kindly, in 785. Thence he went on to S.
Benedict's monastery at Monte Cassino, "for he was anxious to build a
monastery on his own estate, and this was afterwards done at Werden."
Though S. Ludger's name occurs in Benedictine Martyrologies, he seems
never to have become formally a monk of that order. Probably he wore
their habit at Monte Cassino. The author of the Third Metrical Life
says, "though he wore the cowl." "Nec hujus Regulæ, ullum observantiæ
fecerat promissum." The fact that the monasteries founded by him both
at Werden and Munster observed the rule of the Canons Regular, seems to
settle the matter. He was called abbot simply because he presided over
a Cænobium. In 787, he passed through Rome on his way home, where he
obtained some relics of our Lord, of the Blessed Virgin, and of some of
the saints. The news of Wittikind's conversion, or rather submission,
had recalled him to his old field of labour.
Charlemagne had been at war with the Saxons, who then occupied nearly
the modern circles of Westphalia and Lower Saxony, with short intervals
of peace, for nearly thirty years. In 779, he defeated the Westphalians
at Bochold, and received their submission, which entailed that of the
Ostphali and the Angrarii. The following year he overran the country as
far as the Elbe, where he encamped. Wittikind took refuge at the court
of the king of Denmark, his father-in-law. The solemn sacrament of
baptism was administered to an immense multitude at Horheim.
Charlemagne determined to secure the people by a systematic occupation
of their territory. It was divided into districts, whither bishops,
priests, and abbots were sent. The king gave them the lands, but God
alone could give them the souls of the people.
The rebellion which burst out in 782, under Wittikind, was punished
severely. His accomplices, 4,500 in number, were tried before their own
chiefs at Verden, on the Aller; were condemned and put to death. Their
relatives and all the tribes took up arms to avenge them: a bloody
battle of doubtful issue was fought at Detmold. After Charlemagne
had ravaged the country for two years, he offered terms of peace.
Wittikind and the Saxon nobles accepted them. He submitted to be
baptized at Attigny. His example brought about the submission of Saxony
and Friesland. The story is told somewhat in this fashion:--On great
festivals Charlemagne was wont to distribute money to all the poor
who assembled at his gate. On Easter-day, Wittikind, in the dress of
a beggar, penetrated into the king's tent, where Mass was being said.
After mass, he came to receive alms with the rest. He was recognised in
spite of his rags, arrested, and brought before the king. Then he asked
to become a Christian, and ordered the chiefs of his party to lay down
their arms. It is hardly necessary to add that marvels accompanied this
conversion.
On S. Ludger's return, in 787, to Friesland, Charlemagne sent him to
bear the glad tidings of the gospel of peace to the Frisians in the
neighbourhood of Gröningen and Norden. Away in the sea to the north
was a white island, so he was told, a home of hardy seamen, whither
S. Willibroad had been. Ludger resolved to go to this island of
Fositesland, or Heligoland, and water the little seed of life that
Willibroad had sown there. He embarked in a little vessel, and a
pleasant breeze springing up, the boat was wafted towards the distant
isle. Ludger stood in the bows, cross in hand, and saw a dark grey fog
envelope the island. But presently the veil of mist rose, and disclosed
the white chalk-cliffs glittering in sunshine, and the bishop gladly
took this as an omen of success. He landed, preached the faith, and
destroyed the temples, erecting churches in their stead. The people
gladly heard the Word, and Ludger baptized them in the waters of
the very fountain in which S. Willibroad had baptized three of the
islanders on a former occasion. A son, also, of one of the chiefs
embraced the faith, and became a teacher of the Frisians and the
founder of a monastery.
After the complete subjugation of the Saxons, S. Ludger was directed by
the emperor to repair into Westphalia. He erected a monastery where now
stands the episcopal city of Münster, and travelled over the district
with unflagging energy, wearing no hood, as his biographer says, with
which monks usually keep their heads and shoulders warm, instructed
the barbarous tribes, and appointed priests to minister the sacraments
to them. He was soon after ordained bishop by Hildebold, archbishop of
Cologne. His heart now turned to the wild Normans, the scourge of all
the maritime peoples of Gaul and on the Baltic.
As bishop, he ministered to his Saxon flock with great judgment and
gentleness, and that proud conquered people yielded more to his gentle
persuasion than to the harsh commands of Charlemagne. He still ruled
Friesland, which he had brought to the faith. Charlemagne also set
him over a monastery in Brabant. Thus his dream of the three heaps,
signifying his rule over three peoples, was fulfilled.
The chief seat of his diocese was in the canton Sudergau, at a place
called Mimigardford (or, more properly, Miningardvard, the fort of
Miningard) on the Aa, where he built a monastery by the river for the
Regular Canons.
From this establishment the city eventually took its name of Münster,
though the bishops continued to style themselves "of Mimigard" to the
time of Thierry II.
He built the cathedral of S. Paul at Münster. The five Frisian
counties contributed largely towards the cost. Their liberality was
commemorated in a sculpture representing them offering gifts to S.
Paul, which once stood near the N.W. door of the cathedral. It was
defaced by the Anabaptists in 1535.
He uprooted idolatry, sowed the Word of God, built churches, and
ordained priests to minister in them. He desired to bring many nations
to the knowledge of the true God, and volunteered to preach to the
heathen Northmen, but Charlemagne refused his consent.
The blameless conduct of Ludger did not save him from detractors,
nay, perhaps it rather incited their malice. He was accused (as the
anonymous Frieslander who wrote his life tells us) to Charlemagne of
penuriousness in decorating the houses of God. The emperor summoned
him to court, and on the morning after his arrival the chamberlain
was sent to call him before the council. He found Ludger saying the
divine office. Our saint promised to come as soon as it was done. A
second and a third messenger summoned him, but he did not go to the
emperor till the office was over. Charlemagne asked him, "Why didst
thou disregard my command to come at once?" The saint said, "God is to
be preferred to thee, O king, and to all men." The emperor, pleased at
his reply, exclaimed, "I am thankful that I have found thee such as I
ever esteemed thee, and I promise never again to give ear to those who
calumniate thee." Once Ludger imposed a severe penance on a priest who
left off saying the office that he might blow the fire, as they were
saying Matins in their travelling tent, because the smoke was driving
into the bishop's face; for the saint desired to teach his clergy that
they ought to suffer nothing to disturb them when saying the Divine
office.
Altfrid adds that S. Ludger "was well read in Holy Writ," as is clearly
proved in the book he wrote about the life of Gregory and Albric;
moreover, he wrote an account of the early events which took place at
the coming of S. Boniface and at his ordination. His meaning, probably,
is not that separate lives of these holy men were written by Ludger,
but that notices of them were inserted in his "Life of Gregory." This
is the only genuine work of his that has survived, for the epistle on
the canonization of S. Suibert is not from his pen.
When he felt his end approaching, he devoted more time than before to
reading Holy Writ, to chanting Psalms, and, though feeble in body, he
celebrated Mass every day.
On the day of his death, March 26th, 809, very early, he heard Mass at
Coesfeld, and preached; then hastening to Billerbeck, arrived there at
nine o'clock the same morning, preached again, and celebrated his last
Mass. That evening he gently expired.
[Illustration: Picture of Fortitude bearing shield and club]
March 27.
MEMORIAL OF THE RESURRECTION.[91]
SS. PHILETUS, LYDIA, AND COMPANIONS, _MM. in Illyria, 2nd cent._
S. AUGUSTA, _V.M. at Serravalle in Venetia_.
S. ALEXANDER, _M. at Drizipara, in Pannonia_.
SS. ZANITAS, LAZARUS, AND COMPANIONS, _MM. in Persia_, A.D. 326.
S. JOHN, _H. at Lycopolis, in Egypt_, A.D. 393.
S. RUPERT, _B. of Salzburg_, A.D. 718.
S. MATTHEW OF BEAUVAIS, _M. in France, 11th cent._
S. WILLIAM TEMPIER, _B. of Poitiers_, A.D. 1197.
[91] In some ancient Martyrologies we find this day set down as that of
the Resurrection, but others make the day to be March 25th, March 28th,
April 1st, or April 5th.