Majolus of Cluny

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Saint Majolus of Cluny
Born	~906, Avignon (sometimes stated as Valensole)
Died	May 11, 994, Souvigny
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Feast	May 11
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Saint Majolus of Cluny (Maieul, Mayeul, Mayeule) (ca. 906—May 11, 994) was an abbot of Cluny. As a youth Majolus fled his family's estates near Rietz to stay with relatives at Mâcon due to the Muslim invasions. Majolus studied at Lyon and later became archdeacon of Mâcon.

Offered the bishopric of Besançon, he became a monk of Cluny instead. In 954, he was named abbot-coadjutor to Aymard. Two years later, he became full abbot of Cluny.

He reformed many German monasteries at the request of Otto the Great and settled a disagreement between Adelaide and her son, Otto II.

A Muslim invasion force captured Majolus in 972 as he crossed the Saint Bernard Pass. This ambush was the turning point in the expansion of the Muslim world; the largest and fastest expansion since Alexander the Great. Gradually successful counter-attacks drove the invaders back out of France. Majolus was ransomed by the monks of Cluny for a thousand pounds of silver.^[1]

Shortly before his death, he made Saint Odilo of Cluny his coadjutor. Majolus died while on his way to Saint-Denis.