The Lives of the Saints, Volume 03 (of 16): MarchBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Religion
The Lives of the Saints, Volume 03 (of 16): March
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Christian saints
[Gallican and Roman Martyrologies. Also those of Usuardus and Wyon.
Authority:--A life written by a contemporary, Jonas, a monk of the
same abbey of Fontenelle to which S. Wulfram retired, of this there
are several editions, some much interpolated. Some of these additions
are gross errors. According to the life which Surius publishes, Jonas
dedicated it to his abbot Bainus. But Bainus died seven years after
Wulfram had undertaken his mission. Possibly Bainus is an error of
the copyist for Wando, who translated the body of S. Wulfram in 742.
In the prologue, moreover, Owen, or Ovus, the lad whom S. Wulfram had
resuscitated after he had been hung, is quoted as the authority for
much of what the bishop did in Friesland, Owen being then priest in
the abbey of Fontenelle. This indicates the date of the life as being
about the time of the translation.]
Wulfram was born at Milly, three leagues from Fontainebleau, of a noble
and wealthy family. His father, whose name was Fulbert, was held in
great esteem by Dagobert I. and Clovis II. on account of the signal
services he had rendered them in their wars. Although brought up, and
constantly engaged in the camp, Fulbert took care that his son should
receive an excellent education in letters; and as Wulfram exhibited a
marked partiality for the clerical over the secular life, he suffered
him to take holy orders. Wulfram was not, however, allowed to follow
the bent of his wishes in every particular, for notwithstanding his
desire to live a quiet secluded life of study, he was called in 670
to serve God in the court of Clothaire III. and Thierry III., kings
of the Franks, till the death of his father. About the same time,
Lambert, bishop of Sens, having died, Wulfram was unanimously elected
to fill his room, by clergy and people, and the royal consent having
been obtained, he was consecrated to the see of Sens, in 693. But "the
Spirit breatheth where He wills, and thou canst not tell whence He
cometh and whither He goeth." Moved by a divine call which could not
be gainsaid, after having occupied the see for only two years and a
half, Wulfram abdicted his charge in 685, probably moved by religious
scruples as to the canonicity of his appointment, for S. Amæus, the
rightful bishop of Sens, in the banishment to which he was sent by
Thierry III. in 674, had survived the appointment of Lambert. Wulfram,
freed from his charge, at once undertook a mission to Friesland. He
conferred on his design with S. Ansbert, then archbishop of Rouen,
after having been abbot of S. Vandrille.[69] By his advice he retired
for a while into that abbey of Fontenelle to prepare for his apostolate
to the Frisians, in solitude, with prayer. After awhile he came forth
refreshed, and having divested himself of his property at Milly, his
native place, which he gave to the abbey of S. Vandrille, that he might
go unimpeded into the battle; and having obtained from the abbot,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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