Thiofrid of Echternach

Thiofrid (also Theofried ) (Latin Thiofridus Epternacensis ) ( † 1110) was from 1081 to 1110 abbot of the Benedictine Abbey of Echternach. He has made a name as an author beyond.

Life

About life Theo Fried, there is little reliable information. Maybe he was originally from Swabia. He probably belonged at an early age to the monastery and may come as Oblat in childhood to Echternach. According to some sources, he is said to have been living in the translation of the Holy Willibrord 1031 there. This information is, however, partly in doubt, he would have then wrote his major works at the age of more than 80 years. It also is unclear how his age, whether he received his education only in Echternach or in Liège or Paris.

After written in the 12th century abbot of the monastery Abtskatalog Reginbert has determined him shortly before his death to his successor. Two years later, in 1083 he traveled to Rome, where he was Emperor Henry IV transferred the abbey. The catalog goes on to say that he had the Abbey led twenty-eight years and extremely capable and a true Israelite was (ut versus Israhelita ) by following the footsteps of his predecessor in all.

In fact, he has successfully led the monastery and was able to gain more alienated in the 9th and 10th century estates. To this end, he traveled about 1101 to Liege to ask Henry IV to the refund of monastery estates. He also tried as against the bailiffs to Enforcing higher again the rights of the monastery. In one of his writings he mentioned that he had prevented a civil war in Middelburg on the island of Walcheren through mediation.

Archbishop Bruno of Trier honored him when he was present at his burial in the monastery.

Work

Of importance over the monastery, he was as an author. On behalf of the abbot Nizo ( Nithard ) by Mettlach he wrote 1072-1078 the Vita St. Liutwini. The client dedicated the work to Archbishop Udo von Trier. Erroneously, it was attributed to the principal himself until the 18th century. Between 1098 or 1102 to 1104 /05, he wrote his major work sanctorum Flores epytaphii. This treatise on relics he dedicated to the Archbishop Bruno of Trier. These were an innovation, it had so far but no scholarly treatise on the nature of the relics given. Besides Thiofried also Abbot Guibert of Nogent has made such an attempt in this period. The work was a kind of relics typology.

Around 1105 he wrote the Vita S. Willibrordi. It was a new version of the Vita, which was written by Alcuin. Thiofried has partially greatly expanded this text, also he has tried to improve it stylistically. It is an Opus geminum of a prose and a verse section.

Received from him are also a letter to Henry IV in 1101, and some smaller pieces. Partial is not entirely clear whether Thiofried or one of his brothers is the author.