17
December 779 A.D. Reading
Eigil’s Life of Sturm
You ask me to recount the life
of the holy and venerable Abbot Sturm and to put into writing the early
beginnings of the monastery of the Holy Savior which he founded and which is
known by the name of Fulda. You also ask me to describe the events connected
with the monastery as I have heard or seen them. As far as my capabilities
allow, I have carried out your request and I have compressed into this little
book both the early days and life of Sturm as reliable witnesses have recounted
them to me, and the foundation of the aforesaid monastery. I have also added
some details about the changes effected in the course of time, such as I have
heard from others or seen with my own eyes. For I, Eigil, was his disciple for
more than twenty years, and I was brought up and trained in the observance of
his monastery from childhood. Some of the events, therefore, which I describe
can be vouched for from my own experience."
The monks who were gathered for
dinner at Fulda on this day, December 17, late in the eighth
century, listened with interest as Eigil's letter to Abbess Angildruth
was read aloud. Most of them had heard these words before, because the reading
of the Life of Sturm was an annual tradition at Fulda. But the
words still reminded them of their roots and of the noble men who had guided
them in the recent past.
One of them was St. Eigil.
Reared south of the Danube, he entered the Benedictine monastery of Fulda in
Hesse. Sturm, its founder and abbot, was a relative. Eigil wrote Sturm's life.
The picture he paints is of a prayerful man, a humble and obedient associate of
the master missionary, St. Boniface. After a long and arduous search, blessed
by miracles and improved by prayer, Sturm located the wilderness site on which
Fulda would be built. Boniface appealed to Carloman, the King of the Franks,
for permission to use the land. "We have found a site suitable for
monastic life in the wilderness which is called Bochon, near the river Fulda,
but this property belongs to you. I now beg Your Highness to give us this
place, so that under your protection we may serve Christ there." All this
is told in Eigil's letter.
According to Eigil, Sturm ruled
well, for "by wise remarks and his personal example stimulated them to
follow in his footsteps. For whenever he suggested the adoption of some point
of monastic discipline he always took pains to do it first himself so that no
one should say: 'Why are your words not confirmed by deeds?' " Sturm's
popularity aroused jealousy; enemies turned the king against him. The noble
abbot was exiled for many years on trumped up charges. Eventually, in answer to
prayer, King Pippin restored him to Fulda. Sturm died in 779 and afterward, on
Sturm's day, Eigil's account of his life was read.
Sturm's successor, Baugolf,
served only three years before resigning. Ratgar, the man who took his place,
was a tyrant who forced heavy building projects on the monks. He went so far as
to expel Eigil because Eigil was too weak to work. After fifteen years, Ratgar
was deposed.
The monks elected the elderly
Eigil as their abbot. When Ratgar appeared, pleading to be readmitted. Eigil,
with true Christian charity, used his influence with King Louis the Pious to
readmit Ratgar into the community. Ratgar lived humbly and quietly after that.
As for Eigil, he died in 822.
Bibliography:
1. Eigil. Life of Sturm. Medieval Sourcebook.
2. "Fulda." Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert
Appleton, 1912.
3. Schaff, Philip. History of the Christian Church. Volume IV,
Mediaeval Christianity From Gregory I to Gregory VII
A. D. 590-1073. Charles Scribner's Sons, 1910.
Last updated June,
2007
No comments:
Post a Comment