Ratherius

Rather of Verona, Latin Ratherius, (c. 887 in Liege, † April 25 974 in Namur ) was a teacher, Abbot of Lobbes ( 953-955 ), bishop of Verona three times ( 931-934; 946-948; 961 - 968 ) and Bishop of Liege ( 953-955 ).

  • 2.1 Main headings
  • 2.2 editions

Life

Career, twice failure as Bishop of Verona

Rather was of noble birth and first Benediktineroblate, then monk in Lobbes under Abbot Hilduin. This he followed 926 to the court Hugo I of Italy, of which he 931 at the instigation of Pope John XI. was appointed as successor to his abbot, who went to Milan as archbishop, bishop of Verona. But rather fell out soon with the king and was the evil already 934 set by this because of its positive attitude towards Arnulf after the failure of the campaign of Arnulf in Italy in Pavia, then sent into exile 936-939 to Como. The diocese, however, went to the Milan Archbishop Manasses.

After his disengagement itself Rather hired temporarily as a traveling teacher in Provence and eventually returned 944 back to his monastery in Hainault. 946 Hugo gave him back his diocese of Verona. This time quarreled Rather with the nobility and clergy, as well as Hugo's son and successor as king, Lothair II, after which he already 948 under pressure from his opponents, according to Rather's own account, especially the Veronese Count Milo, in turn, had to leave the field - further Rather writes his removal from office by Lothar was done to avoid even worse dangers for himself, which would have threatened him from the scheming Count. For a time he sought from Germany in vain to regain his office; the bishopric of 950 sold as Manasseh Milo, his path led him in turn to Lobbeser monastery.

Episcopate in Liège and in turn Verona, return to monastic life

952 Rather followed a reputation Otto I at his court, to act as a teacher of Otto's younger brother Brun (* 925). Brun was 953 Archbishop of Cologne, however, Rather received in September of the same year to pay the episcopate of Liege. There he met, however, the resistance of the hen Gauer Reginars Count III. and other nobles, which Rather was again persuaded to resign his post in March 955 and to draw to the court of the Archbishop William of Mainz, one of Otto's sons. Temporarily he became abbot of the Benedictine monastery Alder.

Against December 961 put him his patron Otto, for the second time on military campaign in Italy, again as bishop of Verona, a strategically important, having the same nephew employed as Bishop Count Milos forced from office. There lay Rather quarrel with the clergy and the nobility, which Emperor Otto, with the 967 Rather attended the synod of Ravenna, may have moved, on November 5th of the year, a special protection statement ( egenus et advena ) issue. Nevertheless, forced litigation, even with his own cathedral chapter, the bishop in the autumn of 968 out of office. Rather returned to his homeland, failed there as a reformer monastery after he had 970/971 again been abbot of Lobbes, he spent his life in the Aulner Abbey.

Work

Rather is considered stylistically idiosyncratic author esp. autobiographical reflections in which he hires considerations in the spirit of those earnest, monastic piety which distinguished him in the fight against the magnificent addicted clergy of his time. In addition, he was concerned with philology and calligraphy. Furthermore, saints, sermons, letters, documents, etc. are handed down from his hand.

Most important writings

  • Praeloquia ( Scripture for moral teaching )
  • Phrenesis
  • Conclusion deliberativa
  • Excerptum ex dialogo confessionali
  • Qualitatis coniectura
  • Vita S. Ursmari

Editions

  • Fritz Weigle, The Letters of the Bishop Rather of Verona, Weimar, 1949 ( MGH The letters of the German Emperor Time 1 )
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