Idesbald

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Saint Idesbald
Chapel at the back of the Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-ter-Duinenkerk. Ostend, Belgium. Stained glass representations of Saint Godelieve and Saint Idesbald.
Abbot
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Beatified	1894
Major shrine	Bruges
Feast	April 18
Saints Portal

Saint^[1] Idesbald (Idesbaldus) (ca. 1100-1167) was a Flemish abbot and monk. He was a courtier and page to the Count of Flanders. It is believed that he was related to or proceeded from the noble family of Van der Gracht, lords of Moorsel.^[2]

He became a canon priest at Veurne in 1135. In 1150, he became a Cistercian at the abbey of Our Lady of the Dunes (Abbey of Ten Duinen), and abbot of this foundation from 1155 to 1167. This was located in the present-day municipality of Koksijde, located on the sand hills between Dunkirk and Nieuwpoort.

[edit] Veneration

Idesbald was buried in the abbey in a coffin of lead. In 1577, the Geuzen plundered the abbey, and the monks transported Idesbald's relics to a farm at Bogaerde.^[3] In 1623, official recognition of his relics was carried out in which his coffin was opened before many witnesses; the body was reported to be incorruptible. For days, the body was shown to visitors.^[4]

His relics were translated again to Bruges in 1796 to avoid having them destroyed by Revolutionary troops.^[5] In 1830, his relics were placed in a chapel associated with the abbey of Our Lady of the Potteries.^[6] His cult was officially approved in 1894 by decree issued by the Diocese of Bruges.^[7]

The hamlet of Saint-Idesbald, which gained fame as an artists' quarter, takes its name from him.