Theodulf of Orléans
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Theodulf of Orleans (also Theodulfus, Theodulfe) (born in Spain c. 750-60, died Angers, France, 18 December 821) was a medieval Bishop of Orléans, a writer skilled in poetic forms and a learned theologian.
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[edit] Biography
By descent a Visigoth, he became before 794 a member of the royal Frankish court of Charlemagne, where he was, next to Alcuin, the most distinguished and learned person.
Charlemagne granted him (about 798) the Bishopric of Orléans; and several abbeys. He laboured successfully in his diocese as a reformer both of the clergy and people, as is shown by his two Capitularies, one of which has forty-six chapters; he also encouraged school.
He is also known as a patron and lover of art. He was still in favour at the beginning of the reign of Louis the Pious, but later, being accused of sharing in the conspiracy of King Bernard of Italy, was consequently deposed in 818 and exiled to Angers.
[edit] Works
Versus contra Judices
In 798 he was sent, with bishop Leidrad of Lyons, as a missus dominicus (royal envoy) to the southern part of France. In his poem, "Versus contra judices", in which he complains of the severity of Frankish law and addresses earnest warnings to the judges. He gives an account of his experiences while on this mission.
As a writer on theology, he took part in the dispute over the term Filioque (the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son as well as from the Father) and defended this doctrine at the request of Charlemagne in the treatise, "De spiritu sancto".
Libri Carolini (Opus Caroli Contra Synodum)
As a leading theologian in Charlemagne's court, Theodulf was chosen to compose a rebuttal in response to a faulty Latin translation of the Second Council of Nicaea that the Frankish Court had received. Reading this poor translation, the Franks mistakenly believed that Pope Hadrian had commanded the Byzantines to worship images, when he had actually given them permission to reinstate the use of images after a period of iconoclasm. This outraged the Franks, and Theodulf was immediately appointed to write a response called the Libri Caroli (Opus Caroli Contra Synodum) which was composed between 791 and 793.[1]<Ann Freeman and Paul Meyvaert, The Meaning of Theodulf's Apse Mosaic at Germigny-des-Pres, Gesta, vol. 40, No. 2 (2001)pp 125. However once the Carolingians learned of the error, Charlemagne did not allow Theodulf's writings to circulate but instead stored them in palace archives. Theodulf's writings harshly criticized the worship of images and maintained that religious imagery should solely be used by the learned, who were able to distinguish between image and prototype.
He also wrote at the wish of the emperor, "De ordine baptismi", a description of the ceremonies at baptism.
He is further, apparently, the author of an exposition of the Holy Mass and of the Creed.
His hymn for Palm Sunday, "Gloria, laus, et honor" (Analecta hymnica, L, 160 sq.), came into liturgical use.
As a writer on theology, he took part in the dispute over the term Filioque (the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son as well as from the Father) and defended this doctrine at the request of Charlemagne in the treatise, "De spiritu sancto".
As regards language and metre he occupies the first place among the poets of the Carlolingian era and distinguished himself by spirit and skill; particularly interesting are the letters which he wrote in the form of poems, giving an animated picture of the life at court.
[edit] Theodulf's Oratory and Villa at Germigny-des-Pres
As Bishop, Theodulf commissioned a private oratory in the small town of Germigny-des-Pres in France, near Orleans. This chapel may have been unique in its day in employing a quincunx (that is, cross-in-square) plan. Theodulf's oratory was restored in the nineteenth century, and records were made of its original mosaic decoration. Above the altar, the apse decoration consisted of a mosaic representing the Ark of the Covenant adored by two angels.
[edit] Source
- This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.
- Opera Omnia by Migne Patrologia Latina with analytical indexes
[edit] References
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