The Lives of the Saints, Volume 01 (of 16): JanuaryBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Religion
The Lives of the Saints, Volume 01 (of 16): January
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Christian saints
Saint Rigobert, a Benedictine monk, was ordained archbishop of Rheims in
the year 696. He consecrated Dagobert II., Chilperic II., and Theoderic
II., kings of the Franks. In his diocese he laboured to restore
discipline and sanctity of life. When Charles Martel and Ragenfried were
fighting for the mastery, the former came with his troops before Rheims,
and demanded to be admitted. The bishop refused to open the gates,
"Because," said he, "I know not whether you or Ragenfried will be given
the kingdom." Charles Martel went away in a fury, and vowed, if he
gained the day, he would make the cautious archbishop suffer for it.
When Charles Martel had subdued his rival, he returned to Rheims, and
drove S. Rigobert into exile, and gave the revenues of the see to
laymen, creatures of the court. Whilst at Rheims, S. Rigobert had lived
over the city gate, and kept the keys of the town. The window of his
chamber looked towards the Basilica of S. Remigius, and at it he was
wont to pray, like Daniel, with his face turned to Jerusalem. That he
might easily, and at will, descend into the church of S. Peter, which
was situated near the gateway, S. Rigobert had a hole knocked in a
turret of the church, so that by a ladder he could descend into the
church to prayer, and return by it to a little oratory, dedicated to S.
Michael, which he had built on the city wall. But this oratory did not
stand very long, for King Louis gave the monastery of S. Peter to his
daughter Alpaida; and her husband, Begus, having knocked his head
against the lintel of the door when entering the little chapel--he being
a very tall man--ordered it to be pulled down, pretending that it cut
off the light from the windows of the church. "Humility," says the
chronicler dryly, "never knocks its head against any thing."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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