Heriger of Lobbes

Heriger of Lobbes was an abbot of the abbey of Lobbes between 990-1007 and is remembered for his writings as theologian and historian.

Biography

He was born about 925. After studying at the cathedral school of Liège, he became a Benedictine monk at the monastery of Lobbes, where he was scholasticus of the monastic school for many years.

He was an intimate friend of bishop Notger of Liège, whom he accompanied to Rome in 989, and at whose instance he wrote a few works.

In 990 he was elected to succeed the deceased Folcwin as Abbot of Lobbes.

By long study of the Fathers of the Church and the writers of classical antiquity he amassed learning unusual in those times. On the whole, he wrote with more historical criticism than most of his contemporaries, though as a hagiographer he at times sinks to the level of an ascetical novelist.

He died on 31 October, 1007.

Works

His chief work is a history of the bishops of Liège, "Gesta episcoporum Leodiensium", which however reaches only to the death of St. Remaclus in 667. It was first published by Jean Chapeauville [In "Auctores de Gestis Pontificum Tungrensium ... et Leodiensium" (Liège, 1618), 1-98.] ; a better edition was issued by Martène and Durand [In "Veterum Scriptorum Amplissima Collectio" (Paris, 1724-33), IV, 837-912.] . Finally, it was published with a valuable historical disquisition on the writings of Heriger by Köpke [MGH, Scriptores VII, 134-94.] whence it was reprinted by Migne ["Patrologia Latina", CXXXIX, 958-1068.] . The history was continued to the year 1048 by Anselm of Liège.

Heriger's other writings are:
* the "Life of St. Landoald" ["Acta Sanctorum", March, III, 35-42.]
* a metrical "Life of St. Ursmar", of which only a few fragments remain
* a treatise on the Body and Blood of Christ, "De Corpore et Sanguine Dormini", which is little else than a compilation of excerpts from the Fathers, and must not be confounded with another work of the same title, generally ascribed to Gerbert of Aurillac
* a few other works on hagiological and liturgical subjects. Most of these works are printed by Migne [P.L., CXXXIX, 999-1136.] .

The "Life of the Virgin St. Berlendis" ["Acta Sanctorum", February, I, 378-81.] has long be assigned to Heriger, but only dates from mid 11th century. It certainly belongs to the hagiographic tradition introduced by Heriger and seems to be the work of one of his pupils, abbot Hugo of Lobbes (+1053).

Heriger is also the author of an arithmetical work entitled "Regulæ de numerorum abaci rationibus" [Published by Bubnov in the "Opera Mathematica" of Gerbert (Berlin, 1899), 205-25.] .

References

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Notes

[Category:Christian hagiographers]