Heribert was born at Worms. His father was a gentleman of rank. His mother had been carried off into captivity by the Huns, and had been sold to an honest and good man, who restored her to her parents. She was grand-daughter of Reginbald, count of Swabia. Heribert was educated in the abbey of Gorze, in Lorraine, in the diocese of Metz. His father having recalled him to Worms, the archbishop Hildebald was so pleased with the young man, that he made him dean of his cathedral, and destined him to become his successor, but his death before Heribert had sufficiently established his reputation prevented the fulfilment of this design. Some years after, Otho III., who had not as yet received the imperial crown, having been informed of the merit of Heribert, made him his chancellor, and perceiving his great virtue, obtained his ordination. Shortly after, the archdiocese of Cologne became vacant, and this gave rise to party contests, productive of schism in that Church. The contest was brought to a conclusion by an almost unanimous election of the chancellor Heribert. He received notice of his having been chosen, with great regret, and on his induction, on Christmas-eve, walked barefoot to the cathedral. His reign was a true blessing to the diocese, through his wise regulations for the maintenance of discipline among the clergy, and for the systematic relief of the necessitious. He built and endowed the abbey of Deutz, on the opposite bank of the Rhine to Cologne; he rebuilt the church of the Apostles, at Cologne, and the chapel of S. Stephen. In a time of great drought, when the country was suffering great distress, and the cattle of the poor were perishing, he went in procession to the church of S. Severinus, and kneeling before the altar, bowed his head on his hands, and weeping for the misfortunes of his people, did not raise his head till a thunderstorm broke over the church. [Illustration: Two pictures of Saints?() preaching to monks below images of day and night sky] [Illustration: SS. JOSEPH AND NICODEMUS ANOINTING THE BODY OF CHRIST. From a Painting. March 17.] March 17. S. JOSEPH OF ARIMATHÆA, _1st cent._ SS. ALEXANDER, _B.M._, AND COMPANIONS, _MM. at Rome_. SS. MARTYRS _in the temple of Serapis at Alexandria_, A.D. 390. S. AGRICOLA, _B. at Chalons-sur-Saone_, A.D. 580. S. PATRICK, _B. Apostle of Ireland_, A.D. 465. S. GERTRUDE, _V. Abss. of Nivelles, in Brabant_, A.D. 664. S. WITHBURGA, _V. at Dereham and Ely_, A.D. 743. S. PAUL, _M. in Cyprus, circ._ A.D. 700. S. JOSEPH OF ARIMATHÆA. (1ST CENT.) [Roman Martyrology, inserted by Baronius, because observed as a double by the Canons of the Vatican, who possess an arm of the saint. In Liege, where other relics are preserved, on Feb. 22nd; by the Greeks on July 31st.]