Idesbald
Encyclopedia
Saint Idesbald (ca. 1100-1167) was a Cistercian monk and abbot
of the Ten Duinen abbey. He was a courtier
and page
to the Count of Flanders
. It is believed that he was related to or proceeded from the noble family of Van der Gracht, lords of Moorsel
.
He became a canon priest at Veurne
in 1135. In 1150, he became a Cistercian at the abbey of Our Lady of the Dunes (Abbey of Ten Duinen), and abbot of this foundation from 1155 to 1167. This was located in the present-day municipality of Koksijde
, located on the sand hills between Dunkirk and Nieuwpoort
.
plundered the abbey, and the monks transported Idesbald's relics to a farm at Bogaerde. In 1623, official recognition of his relics was carried out in which his coffin was opened before many witnesses; the body was reported to be incorruptible
. For days, the body was shown to visitors.
His relics were translated
again to Bruges
in 1796 to avoid having them destroyed by Revolutionary
troops. In 1830, his relics were placed in a chapel associated with the abbey of Our Lady of the Potteries. His cult was officially approved in 1894 by decree issued by the Diocese of Bruges.
The hamlet of Saint-Idesbald
, which gained fame as an artists' quarter, takes its name from him.
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...
of the Ten Duinen abbey. He was a courtier
Courtier
A courtier is a person who is often in attendance at the court of a king or other royal personage. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
and page
Page (servant)
A page or page boy is a traditionally young male servant, a messenger at the service of a nobleman or royal.-The medieval page:In medieval times, a page was an attendant to a knight; an apprentice squire...
to the Count of Flanders
Count of Flanders
The Count of Flanders was the ruler or sub-ruler of the county of Flanders from the 9th century until the abolition of the position by the French revolutionaries in 1790....
. It is believed that he was related to or proceeded from the noble family of Van der Gracht, lords of Moorsel
Moorsel
Moorsel is a village in the Denderstreek in the province East Flanders in Belgium, a deelgemeente of the city of Aalst. The village belongs to a league of neighboring villages, which call themselves the Faluintjesgemeenten...
.
He became a canon priest at Veurne
Veurne
Veurne is a city and municipality in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the town of Veurne proper and the settlements of Avekapelle, Booitshoeke, Bulskamp, De Moeren, Eggewaartskapelle, Houtem, Steenkerke, Vinkem, Wulveringem, and Zoutenaaie.-Origins in the 15th...
in 1135. In 1150, he became a Cistercian at the abbey of Our Lady of the Dunes (Abbey of Ten Duinen), and abbot of this foundation from 1155 to 1167. This was located in the present-day municipality of Koksijde
Koksijde
Koksijde is a municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders on the North Sea coast, at the southwest side. It comprises the towns of Koksijde proper, Oostduinkerke, St-Idesbald and Wulpen.-Statistics:...
, located on the sand hills between Dunkirk and Nieuwpoort
Nieuwpoort, Belgium
Nieuwpoort is a municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Nieuwpoort proper and the towns of Ramskapelle and Sint-Joris. On January 1, 2008 Nieuwpoort had a total population of 11,062....
.
Veneration
Idesbald was buried in the abbey in a coffin of lead. In 1577, the GeuzenGeuzen
Geuzen was a name assumed by the confederacy of Calvinist Dutch nobles and other malcontents, who from 1566 opposed Spanish rule in the Netherlands. The most successful group of them operated at sea, and so were called Watergeuzen...
plundered the abbey, and the monks transported Idesbald's relics to a farm at Bogaerde. In 1623, official recognition of his relics was carried out in which his coffin was opened before many witnesses; the body was reported to be incorruptible
Incorruptibility
Incorruptibility is a Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox belief that supernatural intervention allows some human bodies to avoid the normal process of decomposition after death as a sign of their holiness...
. For days, the body was shown to visitors.
His relics were translated
Translation (relics)
In Christianity, the translation of relics is the removal of holy objects from one locality to another ; usually only the movement of the remains of the saint's body would be treated so formally, with secondary relics such as items of clothing treated with less ceremony...
again to Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
in 1796 to avoid having them destroyed by Revolutionary
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
troops. In 1830, his relics were placed in a chapel associated with the abbey of Our Lady of the Potteries. His cult was officially approved in 1894 by decree issued by the Diocese of Bruges.
The hamlet of Saint-Idesbald
Saint-Idesbald
Saint-Idesbald is a hamlet, part of Koksijde, which also includes Oostduinkerke. Its name refers to Idesbald, a 12th century abbot of the Abbey of Ten Duinen....
, which gained fame as an artists' quarter, takes its name from him.