The ninth century was marked by heinous sins, committed by important members of the ecclesiastical and civil societies. In order to guide people in the midst of this darkness, God raised up men who shone for their very high virtues, among whom was St. Rabbanus Mauro.

Newsroom(05/05/2022 13:00, Gaudium Press) The son of noble parents, Saint Rabbanus was born in the year 780, in Moghurtia, and since his childhood received religious formation in the Abbey of Fulda, both cities located in Germany.

He then went to study at the Monastery of St. Martin of Tours in France, where he became a pupil of the famous Alcuinus, who, under the guidance of Charlemagne, organized teaching in Europe at the time.  Saint Rabbanus practiced obedience so perfectly that Alcuinus gave him the surname Mauro, in memory of Saint Benedict’s favorite disciple, who had excelled in this virtue.

Having been ordained a priest, Saint Rabbanus Mauro was appointed abbot of the monastery of Fulda in 822. The splendor of his gifts, virtues and culture spread to all regions, and students from France, England, Germany, and even Rome, as well as other cities in Italy, flocked to this religious house. Bishops, kings, princes and prominent people consulted him. Royal, princely, and noble families sent their children to be educated at the Monastery of Fulda.

After some time, the King of France Louis the Bonachan and his sons, who were at war with each other for selfish reasons, wanted to obtain Saint Labanus’ support in their quarrels, but he would not accept. To prevent the monastery from being the object of revenge by one of these parties, he resigned as abbot – which he had held for 20 years – and went to live in a hermitage near Fulda, where he devoted himself to prayer and study.

Five years later, when the Archbishop of Mogunica died, the people came to the hermitage and asked him to be their successor. Perceiving that it was the will of Our Lord, he gave his assent.

Mystical conception of the universe

St. Rapan Mauro wrote several works, among them commentaries on almost the entire Bible, addressed to monarchs for their moral formation.

“Concerned with the intellectual apostolate, desirous of forming the monks and clergy and, through them, the Christian people, he endeavors to interest princes by his action and, by his urging, contributes effectively to the continuation of the work of Charlemagne.”

In the Treatise On the Universe, St. Rabbanus presents a mystical conception of the cosmos: knowledge must not be limited to the strict materiality of beings; one must understand that they are symbols of spiritual realities.

On this very important subject, Dr. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira teaches:

“Among the characteristics of the soul, I wish to highlight here one of the noblest, that is, the aptitude to relate the things of matter to those of the spirit, and one and the other to God.

“The whole universe was created in the image and likeness of God. Hence there are analogies among all creatures. For beings analogous to a third are, by that very fact, analogous to each other. Hence, material things have the power to express spiritual things.

“And one of the noblest uses that can be made of each of them, and of all of them as a whole, consists in knowing their spiritual expression. Through this expression, the intelligence knows better the things of the spirit. The matter has an excellent use even for the blessed after the resurrection, when, in the meantime, they will see God face to face.”

Saint Rabbanus Mauro also wrote treatises on Psychology, Pedagogy, grammar.  He composed many poems and his genius work was the canticle in praise of the Holy Spirit Veni Creator Spiritus (Come Creator Spirit), which spread all over the world.

He died in 856 and his memory is celebrated on February 4th.

Excommunication of a King and two Archbishops

Another man who illuminated the 9th century was Pope Saint Nicholas I – pontificate from 858 to 867 – who firmly defended the superiority of papal power over temporal power, becoming a forerunner of the great Saint Gregory VII, who ruled the Church from 1073 to 1085 and, among other glorious deeds, fought admirably against the wicked Henry IV, Emperor of the Holy Roman German Empire.

In 860, Lothar II, King of Lothargy – a region that is now Belgium, the Netherlands as well as parts of France and Germany – divorced his wife, Theutberga, and married a very bad woman, who was the sister of the Archbishop of Cologne.

The Archbishops of Cologne and of Treveris, both in Germany, shamefully supported Lothar II’s divorce and his “marriage” to his concubine. St. Nicholas excommunicated all three.

The prelates rebelled against the Pope and, in 864, even incited Emperor Louis II to invade Rome, but this crime, through the intervention of the Empress, was not perpetrated. Three years later, Saint Nicholas delivered his soul to God.

Punishment inflicted by God

In 869, Hadrian II, successor of Saint Nicholas I, received in the Monastery of Monte Cassino, Italy, Lothar II and the Arcbishop of Cologne.

After the talks, Hadrian II went to celebrate Mass, and at the time of communion he said to Lothario, “If you are indeed repentant of the crime of adultery, and have the firm purpose to commit it no more, receive the Sacrament of eternal life. But if your penitence is not sincere, do not have the temerity to receive the Body and Blood of Christ, for it will be your own condemnation.”

Lothar, clinging to his sin, took communion as well as several members of his entourage who were in cahoots with him. They then began their journey to France.

When they arrived in the city of Lucca, northwestern Italy, a strange disease afflicted almost all of them: their hair, nails and skin were falling out of their bodies, causing terrible pain, convulsions and death. Those who had received sacrificial communion – Lothar II, the Archbishop of Cologne, and other members of the royal entourage – were stricken by this disease and died. Only those who had not committed sacrilege were exempted from this disease and kept alive.

Let us ask Our Lady urgently to put an end to the much more serious sins openly practiced in our days, and to establish in all splendor the Kingdom of Mary.

By Paulo Francisco Martos

Notions of Church History

Compiled by Teresa Joseph