Gerard of Toul
Encyclopedia
Saint Gerard of Toul, also Saint Gerald of Toul ' onMouseout='HidePop("41954")' href="/topics/Cologne">Cologne
935; d. Toul
994) was a German
priest who was appointed bishop of Toul in 963. He ruled for 31 years.
Unlike some other saints he was born into a very wealthy, noble family.
Toul at this time, although a part of the Holy Roman Empire
, enjoyed a great deal of independence under its prince-bishop
s. Gerard proved a successful and respected ruler, governing the principality for thirty-one years.
He established many religious schools in the see
, inviting scholars from across Europe, namely Greeks, to study and teach at Toul. He also rebuilt many churches, notably Toul Cathedral
. According to the Vita Sancti Gerardi, Gerard had the relics of both Saint Mansuetus and Saint Aprus, earlier bishops of Toul, brought into the city and placed in the church of St. John the Baptist while he was ill.
It is believed he entered activity in the Church due to his mother dying by lightning strike, an event he believed to be divine judgment for his sins.
He died on April 23, 994.
He was canonized in 1050 by Pope Leo IX
(Bruno of Eguisheim), who had succeeded him as bishop of the see.
His feast day is celebrated on 23 April.
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
935; d. Toul
Toul
Toul is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Geography:Toul is located between Commercy and Nancy, and situated between the Moselle River and the Canal de la Marne au Rhin....
994) was a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
priest who was appointed bishop of Toul in 963. He ruled for 31 years.
Unlike some other saints he was born into a very wealthy, noble family.
Toul at this time, although a part of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
, enjoyed a great deal of independence under its prince-bishop
Prince-Bishop
A Prince-Bishop is a bishop who is a territorial Prince of the Church on account of one or more secular principalities, usually pre-existent titles of nobility held concurrently with their inherent clerical office...
s. Gerard proved a successful and respected ruler, governing the principality for thirty-one years.
He established many religious schools in the see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
, inviting scholars from across Europe, namely Greeks, to study and teach at Toul. He also rebuilt many churches, notably Toul Cathedral
Toul Cathedral
Toul Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Toul, Lorraine, France, and a fine example of Gothic architecture....
. According to the Vita Sancti Gerardi, Gerard had the relics of both Saint Mansuetus and Saint Aprus, earlier bishops of Toul, brought into the city and placed in the church of St. John the Baptist while he was ill.
It is believed he entered activity in the Church due to his mother dying by lightning strike, an event he believed to be divine judgment for his sins.
He died on April 23, 994.
He was canonized in 1050 by Pope Leo IX
Pope Leo IX
Pope Saint Leo IX , born Bruno of Eguisheim-Dagsburg, was Pope from February 12, 1049 to his death. He was a German aristocrat and as well as being Pope was a powerful secular ruler of central Italy. He is regarded as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, with the feast day of April 19...
(Bruno of Eguisheim), who had succeeded him as bishop of the see.
His feast day is celebrated on 23 April.