Saint Ludger

First Bishop of Munster (742- 809)

Feast-March 26

King Clovis I (481-511) united the various Frankish tribes, conquered Roman Gaul, and accepted Christianity. The new Frankish kingdom unified all the Germanic tribes make them Christian with the exception of the Saxons, who were located near the North Sea. Unlike other Germanic tribes, such as the Alamanni, Bavarians, Thuringians and Frisii which were ruled by kings, the Saxons were divided into numerous independent groups under different chieftains. During wartime, these chieftains would draw lots to select their main leader.

In 690, two priests, brothers Ewald the Black and Ewald the Fair, set out from Northumbria (Northern England) to convert the Saxons to Christianity. When the pagan Saxons realized that the aim was to convert them through their Ealdorman (a man of high status), they became hostile to the missionaries and on October 3, 692 they murdered both priests. Ewald the Fair was killed quickly by the sword, while Ewald the Black was tortured and torn limb from limb, after which both their bodies were cast into the Rhine.

Their reluctance to accept the newly introduced Christian faith combined with their tendency to mount destructive raids on their neighbors eventually brough them into direct conflict with Emperor Charlemagne, the powerful king of the Franks and Ruler of the Carolingian Empire. After a bloody thirty-year campaign, Charlemagne claimed suzerainty over Saxony and destroyed the Irminsul, an important object in Saxon paganism, in 772. In 782, the Saxons, under the leadership of Widukind, rebelled against the Franks. In retaliation Charlemagne ordered the death of 4,500 Saxons, which is known as the Massacre of Verden. The conflict continued until 785 when Widukind agreed to surrender in return for a guarantee that no bodily harm would be done to him. Widukind and his allies were then baptized, with Charlemagne as his godfather.

However, true conversion requires a change of heart and mind. St. Ludger was one of several called by God to fulfil this task through devout missionary work to bring the truth to the Saxons, and teach them to love God and neighbor.

St. Ludger was born in the Netherlands at Zuilen, which is near Utrecht, around 742 AD. His parents were wealthy Christian Frisians of noble descent. When he was eleven years of age, he saw the English missionary St. Boniface. This encounter left a massive impression on St. Ludger, prompting him to ask his father to commit him to the care of St. Gregory, Bishop of Utrecht and a disciple of St. Boniface. St. Gregory was the one who educated St. Ludger and gave him the clerical tonsure.

In 767 he went to England to study under Alcuin, an instructor (and later headmaster) at St. Peter’s School in York. St. Ludger spent four and a half years under Alcuin with whom he developed a lifelong friendship. While there he was ordained a deacon, and in 773 he returned home.

In 775, St. Ludger was sent to resume the work at Deventer in the Netherlands which had been halted by the passing of St. Lebuin, an English missionary. He restored the chapel and recovered the relics of St. Lebuin. When Saint Gregory died in 776, his successor, Alberic, compelled St. Ludger to receive the priesthood. He was ordained a priest at Cologne in 777. The new bishop employed him for several years in preaching the Word of God in Friesland, where St Boniface had been put to death. He converted great numbers, founded several monasteries, and had many churches built. However, every autumn he would return to Utrecht to teach at the cathedral school.

He worked in this way for about seven years, until in 784 Widukind and his pagan Saxons invaded the Friesland, ravaged the country, and drove out the missionaries. St. Ludger escaped with his disciples and traveled to Rome to consult Pope Adrian I as to what course he should take. He spent the next two years in Monte Cassino, planning to found a Benedictine monastery of his own.

He was able to return to area in 787 after Widukind and his Saxons surrendered in 785, which restored security in the region. Emperor Charlemagne entrusted St. Ludger with the evangelization of the Saxons in Westphalia.

St. Ludger made his headquarters in modern-day Münster, meaning “monastery,” founding a community of canons regular in 795, following the Rule of St Chordegang of Metz which in 789 had been made obligatory in the Frankish territories. He also built a chapel in honor of the Blessed Virgin, as well as the churches of Billerbeck, Coesfeld, Hersfeld, and Nottuln. Near the church of Nottuln he built a home for his sister, Gerburgis, who had consecrated herself to God. Many other women soon joined her, and so originated the first convent in Westphalia. In 799 he founded a monastery of Werden, twenty-nine miles from Cologne, becoming its first abbot. He is reported to have cured the blindness of the prominent pagan bard Bernlef and made him a devout Christian. He was a gentle pastor who achieved much for Christianity by his patient persuasion.

At the request of Emperor Charlemagne, Hildebold, Archbishop of Cologne, despite his strenuous resistance, consecrated St. Ludger as bishop of Munster on the 30th of March, 805. Five cantons of Friesland, which St. Ludger had converted, were joined to the diocese of Munster. St. Ludger also founded the monastery of Helmstad in the duchy of Brunswick, but as bishop, his principal concern was to have a proficient clergy, taking great pains to educate them personally.

Accusations were brought before Emperor Charlemagne that St. Ludger was wasting his income on alms and neglecting the ornamentation of his churches. Upset, the emperor ordered him to appear at court. The Saint, when he was summoned before the emperor, was at prayer, and told the messenger he would follow him as soon as he had finished his devotions. He was sent for three times. When he finally appeared before the court, the emperor, with some emotion, asked St. Ludger why he had made him wait so long. The bishop answered that he had the most profound respect for his Majesty, yet God was infinitely above him; that while we are occupied with Him, it is our duty to forget everything else. This answer made such an impression on Charlemagne that he dismissed him with honor and disgraced his accusers.

This great missionary, favored with the gifts of miracles and prophecy, died on Passion Sunday, March 26, 809. His last sickness did not stop him from preaching in the morning, saying Mass towards nine, and preaching again before nightfall on his last day. He told those with him that he would die at night, and indicated a place in his monastery of Werden where he wished to be interred.

References and Excerpts:

[1]          “Saint Ludger, First Bishop of Munster.” Accessed: Mar. 22, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://sanctoral.com/en/saints/saint_ludger.html

[2]          “Mar 26 – St Ludger of Münster (742-809),” Catholicireland.net. Accessed: Mar. 22, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.catholicireland.net/saintoftheday/st-ludger-of-munster-742-809/

[3]          “Ludger,” Wikipedia. Jan. 07, 2024. Accessed: Mar. 22, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ludger&oldid=1194169267

[4]          “Old Saxony,” Wikipedia. Feb. 27, 2024. Accessed: Mar. 22, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Old_Saxony&oldid=1210549091