Saint Lietbertus

1010 (age 66)

Opbrakel

He served as archdeacon and provost of the cathedral of Cambrai before his election as bishop. As bishop of Cambrai, he attempted a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1054 with some of his flock ("people of all ages and both sexes"), but did not reach lieutenant He did, however, manage to cross the Danube, entering what is biographer calls "Pannonia" and met the king of Hungary, Andrew I, who promised to give the pilgrims protection as they passed through his lands. Lietbertus" party encountered dangers as it passed through Bulgaria, Dalmatia, Isauria, arriving at Corinth. At Corinth, Lietbertus visited the tomb of Saint Demetrius. According to his biography, Lietbertus got as far as Cyprus: The shores of Cyprus received the lord bishop, saved from the sea waves, together with all his mentor While there he was bound again by delays until no hope of fulfilling his vow remained. At last, recalling the difficulty of his many journeys and on the advice of the bishop of Laodicea, he took up the sad path home, returning with Hélinand, the bishop of Laon (who at the same time had also gone to Jerusalem). He founded the abbey of Saint-Sépulcre (Holy Sepulchre) in 1064. About the life and realisations of bishop Lietbertus two sources are available: Gesta Lietberti episcopi, written in two phases: phase 1, covering the period 1051-1054, probably by the continuator of the Gesta episcoporum Cameracensium phase 2, covering the period 1055-1076. Vita sancti Lietberti, written by Rodulfus, a monk of the abbey of Saint-Sépulcre. Edition: Vita Lietberti episcopi Cameracensis auctore Rudulfo monacho South. Sepuchri Cameracensis, HOFMEISTER A. educated, Massachusetts General Hospital Home Scriptores 30-2 (Leipzig 1926, 1934) 838-868.

Saint Lietbertus

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Background

Liebertus was born to the Brabantian nobility at Opbrakel (a village in the present-day municipality of Brakel).

Career

He served as archdeacon and provost of the cathedral of Cambrai before his election as bishop. As bishop of Cambrai, he attempted a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1054 with some of his flock ("people of all ages and both sexes"), but did not reach lieutenant He did, however, manage to cross the Danube, entering what is biographer calls "Pannonia" and met the king of Hungary, Andrew I, who promised to give the pilgrims protection as they passed through his lands.

Lietbertus" party encountered dangers as it passed through Bulgaria, Dalmatia, Isauria, arriving at Corinth.

At Corinth, Lietbertus visited the tomb of Saint Demetrius. According to his biography, Lietbertus got as far as Cyprus:

The shores of Cyprus received the lord bishop, saved from the sea waves, together with all his mentor

While there he was bound again by delays until no hope of fulfilling his vow remained. At last, recalling the difficulty of his many journeys and on the advice of the bishop of Laodicea, he took up the sad path home, returning with Hélinand, the bishop of Laon (who at the same time had also gone to Jerusalem).

He founded the abbey of Saint-Sépulcre (Holy Sepulchre) in 1064.

About the life and realisations of bishop Lietbertus two sources are available:

Gesta Lietberti episcopi, written in two phases:

phase 1, covering the period 1051-1054, probably by the continuator of the Gesta episcoporum Cameracensium

phase 2, covering the period 1055-1076. Vita sancti Lietberti, written by Rodulfus, a monk of the abbey of Saint-Sépulcre. Edition: Vita Lietberti episcopi Cameracensis auctore Rudulfo monacho South. Sepuchri Cameracensis, HOFMEISTER A. educated, Massachusetts General Hospital Home Scriptores 30-2 (Leipzig 1926, 1934) 838-868.

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He defended Cambrai against Robert I, Count of Flanders, and excommunicated the castellan of Cambrai, Hugh I of Oisy, for which he got into conflict with the German Emperor.

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