Dunstan

Dunstan of Canterbury (c. 909 in Glastonbury, † May 19 988 in Canterbury ) was Archbishop of Canterbury.

Life

Dunstan was born into the royal family of Wessex. He joined in the year 940 in the Benedictine monastery of Glastonbury and was appointed abbot there five years later by King Edmund I.. Through his work went from Glastonbury from the revitalization of monasticism in England, which had been severely damaged by the invasion of the Danes. During the reign of King Eadred Dunstan founded several important monasteries such as Westminster, Exeter and Ely.

At the coronation of the new king Eadwig the end of January 956, there was a dispute between him and Dunstan, because Eadred had considered the abbot very generous in his will. After Mercia and Northumbria, probably had renounced at the instigation of Dunstan, and instead of Eadwig Eadwig his brother Edgar recognized as king, let Eadwig Dunstan of England ban. He spent his exile in St. Peter's Abbey in Ghent, where he came into contact with the beginning of the Cluniac reforms.

957 Dunstan returned back to England, where he Bishop of Worcester, then in London, and finally 960 Archbishop of Canterbury was first. He was both in Church and in secular matters a sought-after consultant in the court of King Edgar. Many monks from monasteries reform of the mainland followed Dunstan to England, where 970 new and authentic monastic rules were drawn up, in which combined elements of reform and traditions of the English monasticism. In the following years, Dunstan and his pupils sat the new rules by not only in the monasteries, but also in the secular clergy, with particular regard to the validity of celibacy. The reforms will also be considered as a first starting point for an independent literature in Anglo-Saxon language.

After his death on May 19, 988 Dunstan was buried in the Cathedral of Canterbury. In 1039, a celebration was officially launched in his honor. His feast day is May 19 Anselm of Canterbury, who was Archbishop of Canterbury in 1093, promoted the worship of his predecessor.

Representation

Dunstan is usually depicted in episcopal regalia. As attributes to him tools are added, because he was said to be a very talented goldsmith. Other depictions show him with book or scroll as an indication of his great learning and consulting activities. Some representations emphasize Dunstan sustainable faithfulness, as they depict, as he tweaks the devil with a pair of pliers in the nose.