(A.D. 888.)
[Roman Martyrology; this being the day of his consecration to the
Archbishopric of Bremen and Hamburg. But in some German
Martyrologies, on June 11th, the day of his death. Authority:--his
life written by a coeval author or authors].
This saint was born at Thourout, in Flanders, where was a monastic
cell, that had been given by King Louis the Pious to S. Anskar. As
Anskar was at Thourout one day, he noticed some boys going to church,
and amongst them was one who, by his gravity, pleased him; and when
the boy entered the church, he crossed himself, and behaved with so
great reverence, that the archbishop went to him, and asked his name.
He told him that he was called Rembert. Then S. Anskar took him and
placed him in the little monastery, and bade that he should be well
instructed. In after years, the apostle of Sweden called Rembert to
assist him in his mission; and he loved his young friend greatly, and
prayed to God for three days incessantly that He would grant to
Rembert to accomplish the work that he, Anskar, had begun, and to make
them companions together in the Heavenly Zion. After Anskar died, in
865, S. Rembert was unanimously chosen Archbishop of Hamburg and
Bremen, and he superintended all the churches of Sweden, Denmark, and
Lower Germany. He also began a mission to the Wends and Sclavonic race
of Mecklenburg and Brandenburg, which was attended with considerable
success. He sold the sacred ornaments of the Church to redeem captives
from the Northmen. On one occasion he saw a party of these marauders
pass, dragging after them a poor girl, who raised her shackled hands
towards the bishop, and began to chant one of David's psalms. Then S.
Rembert leaped off his horse, and ran to the chief, and offered him
the horse if he would release the captive Christian maiden. And this
he did, well pleased to obtain so valuable a horse. S. Rembert died on
June 11th, in the year 888.