Alberic of Ostia

Alberic of Ostia

Alberic of Ostia (1080 – 1147) was a Benedictine monk, and Cardinal Bishop of Ostia from 1138-1147.

He was born at Beauvais in France. He entered the monastery of Cluny and became its sub-prior and, later, prior of St. Martin-des-Champs, but was recalled (1126) to Cluny by Peter the Venerable, to aid in the restoration of discipline in that famous monastery.

In 1131 he was Abbot of Vezelay in the Diocese of Autun, and held that office until he was made Cardinal-Bishop of Ostia by Pope Innocent II (1138). Immediately after his consecration Alberic went as papal legate to England. He was successful in his endeavours to end the war then raging for possession of the throne between the usurper Stephen of Blois and David I of Scotland, who had espoused the cause of Empress Matilda.

He then called a council of all the bishops and abbots of England, which assembled at London, December 1138, and at which eighteen bishops and about thirty abbots were present. The chief business of the council, besides some disciplinary measures, was the election of an archbishop for the See of Canterbury. Thibaut, Abbot of Bec, was chosen, and consecrated by Alberic.

Accompanied by Thibaut and other bishops and abbots, he returned to Rome in January, 1139. The same year, Alberic was sent to exhort the inhabitants of Bari, a town on the Adriatic, to acknowledge as their lawful sovereign Roger II of Sicily, against whom they were in revolt.

They refused, however, to listen to the legate of the Holy See, and shut their gates against him. In 1140 Alberic was appointed to examine into the conduct of Rodolph, Patriarch of Antioch. In a council of eastern bishops and abbots, at which Alberic presided, Rodolph was deposed, and was cast into prison (30 November 1140). Pope Eugene III sent Alberic (1147) to combat the Albigenses in the neighbourhood of Toulouse. He died the same year at Verdun.

In a letter written at this time to the bishops of that district, St. Bernard of Clairvaux calls Alberic "the venerable Bishop of Ostia, a man who has done great things in Israel, through whom Christ has often given victory to His Church".

St. Bernard was induced to join the legate, and it was owing chiefly (according to the Catholic Encyclopedia) "to the miracles and eloquence of the Saint" that the embassy was in some degree successful.

Three days before the arrival of St. Bernard, Alberic had been given a very cold welcome. The populace, in derision of his office, had gone to meet him, riding on asses, and escorted him to his residence with the music of rude instruments. It is said of him that he could not win the people, but that the Albigensian leaders feared him more than any other cardinal of his time. The last work of Alberic was that of co-operating with St. Bernard in promoting the Second Crusade. He it was who arranged with Louis VII of France the details of the undertaking.

References

*catholic


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Alberic of Ostia — • Benedictine monk and Cardinal Bishop of Ostia (1080 1147) Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Alberic of Ostia     Alberic of Ostia      …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Alberic — (French, Aubri; Latin, Albericus) may refer to:in geography ndash; *Alberic, Valencia, a municipality in the Spanish province of Valenciaas a personal name ndash; *Alberic I of Spoleto (died c. 924) *Alberic II of Spoleto (died 954) *Saint… …   Wikipedia

  • Ostia and Velletri — • Suburbicarian diocese near Rome Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Ostia and Velletri     Ostia and Velletri     † …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Albéric d'Ostie — Biographie Naissance 1080 à Beauvais  France Décès 20 novembre 1148 à Verdun …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Sede suburbicaria de Ostia — Diœcesis Ostiensis Información general Erigida como diócesis siglo III Ciudad Roma Paí …   Wikipedia Español

  • Bishop of Ostia — The Bishop of Ostia is the head of the Suburbicarian Diocese of Ostia, one of the seven suburbicarian sees of Rome. The position is now attached to the post of Dean of the College of Cardinals, as it has been since 1150[1], with the actual… …   Wikipedia

  • Bischof von Ostia — Dieser Artikel oder Abschnitt ist nicht hinreichend mit Belegen (Literatur, Webseiten oder Einzelnachweisen) versehen. Die fraglichen Angaben werden daher möglicherweise demnächst gelöscht. Hilf Wikipedia, indem du die Angaben recherchierst und… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Liste der Bischöfe von Ostia — Die folgenden Personen waren Bischöfe und Kardinalbischöfe der suburbikarischen Diözese von Ostia (und Velletri 1150–1914) (Italien): Georgius I. 753–783 vakant 783–787 Gregor I. 787 vakant 787–804 Bernard 804–805 Peter I. 805 vakant 805–826… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Theobald of Bec — Infobox Archbishop of Canterbury Full name = Theobald of Bec birth name = Theobald consecration = 8 January 1139 began=unknown term end = 18 April 1161 predecessor = William de Corbeil successor = Thomas Becket birth date = death date = 18 April… …   Wikipedia

  • England and King David I — The relationship between the Kingdom of England and King David I, who was King of Scotland between 1124 and 1153, was partly shaped by David s relationship with the particular King of England, and partly by David s own ambition. David had a good… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”