Falco of Maastricht

Falko was the 6th century bishop of Tongeren in the first third. He is venerated as a saint.

Life

He is moderately comprehensible source in contrast to many other Bishops of the break time between the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the enforcement of the Frankish empire. His episcopate began in no clearly definable time between 458 and 535 He is the first bishop of Tongeren, whose name suggests a Germanic origin.

He is mentioned in a letter of Remigius of Reims. It is about an internal Church conflict. Just to date are not the operations. However, they played at the very beginning of Falko's time as bishop from. For the temporal limitation of his episcopate only is certain, that they 535 ended before the Council of Clermont. On this the successor Domitian Maastricht has already been mentioned.

Remigius threw Falco before, to have unlawfully taken the Church of Mouzon, which so far was under the Archdiocese of Reims in possession. According to the statements of Remigius Falco had tried to make Mouzon to a sub- center of his diocese. He is said to have called lower clergy, ordained presbyter, and appointed the head of a school. Assuming the church should be an archdeacon. The inclusion of such a high functionary suggesting an important project. The cast of new clergy and the lack of reference to existing clergy suggests that the church was not used at this time. Falko has taken the income of that church services.

It is unlikely that these events are related with the Frankish kingdom division of 510. Another theory is based on the premise that this should be seen in connection with a transfer of the bishopric of Tongeren to Maastricht. The target could then have been, more to tie the diocese to the areas with an unbroken Roman- Christian lifestyle. But even this hypothesis must remain uncertain.

Remigius in any case kept the behavior Falko for so reprehensible that it would justify a dismissal. He held him in good stead his inexperience. He has rejected as unlawful the ordinations performed by Falko and let the devotees remove from office. Also, the total reaching out Falko was apparently later reversed.

He is venerated as a saint. His feast day is February 20.