Autpert Ambrose
Encyclopedia
Autpert Ambrose (ca. 730 – 784) was a Frankish
Benedictine
monk.
He became abbot of San Vicenzo on the Volturno in South Italy in the time of Desiderius
, king of the Lombards
. Autpert's election as abbot
caused internal dissent at St. Vicenzo, and both Pope Stephen III
and Charlemagne
intervened. The disagreement was based both on objections to Autpert's personality and to his Frankish origin.
He wrote a considerable number of works on the Bible and religious subjects generally. Among these are commentaries on the Apocalypse
, on the Psalms
, and on the Song of Solomon
; Lives of Saints Paldo, Tuto and Vaso; Assumption
of the Virgin; and a Combat between the Virtues and the Vices.
In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI gave a homily about him in Saint Peter's square. In this homily, Autpert's death date is given as 784 (older scholarship had given a date between 778 and 779).
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monk.
He became abbot of San Vicenzo on the Volturno in South Italy in the time of Desiderius
Desiderius
Desiderius was the last king of the Lombard Kingdom of northern Italy...
, king of the Lombards
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
. Autpert's election as abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
caused internal dissent at St. Vicenzo, and both Pope Stephen III
Pope Stephen III
Pope Stephen III was pope from August 1 or August 7, 768 to January 24, 772. He was a native of Sicily.He came to Rome during the pontificate of Gregory III and gradually rose to high office in the service of successive popes....
and Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
intervened. The disagreement was based both on objections to Autpert's personality and to his Frankish origin.
He wrote a considerable number of works on the Bible and religious subjects generally. Among these are commentaries on the Apocalypse
Apocalypse
An Apocalypse is a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, i.e. the veil to be lifted. The Apocalypse of John is the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament...
, on the Psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
, and on the Song of Solomon
Song of Solomon
The Song of Songs of Solomon, commonly referred to as Song of Songs or Song of Solomon, is a book of the Hebrew Bible—one of the megillot —found in the last section of the Tanakh, known as the Ketuvim...
; Lives of Saints Paldo, Tuto and Vaso; Assumption
Assumption of Mary
According to the belief of Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life...
of the Virgin; and a Combat between the Virtues and the Vices.
In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI gave a homily about him in Saint Peter's square. In this homily, Autpert's death date is given as 784 (older scholarship had given a date between 778 and 779).