History Abbey of Echternach

1 history

1.1 willibrord
1.2 carolingian renaissance
1.3 return of benedictine monks
1.4 modern abbey

history
willibrord

the modern basilica in echternach.

lying on river sauer, echternach had been site of 1st-century roman villa. 6th century, estate @ echternach had passed hands of see of trier, had constructed small monastery on estate. in 698, irmina of oeren granted northumbrian missionary willibrord, bishop of utrecht, land @ echternach build larger monastery, appointing willibrord abbot. in part, choice due willibrord s reputation talented proselytiser (he known apostle frisians), and, in part, due danger posed see of utrecht pagan frisian raiders. echternach first anglo-saxon monastery in continental europe.

willibrord opened first church @ echternach in 700 financial backing pepin of herstal. continuing connection, pepin s son, charles martel, founder of carolingian dynasty, had son pepin short baptised @ echternach in 714. in addition carolingian support, willibrord s abbey @ echternach had backing of wilfrid, whom had served @ ripon. furthermore, willibrord overcame stridently anti-irish bias of wilfrid, , secured backing of many irish monks, become backbone first settlement @ echternach.

willibrord spent time @ echternach, after sacking of utrecht in 716, , died there in 739. willibrord interred in oratory, became place of pilgrimage, particularly after canonised. in 751, pepin raised abbey of echternach status of royal abbey , , granted immunity. around walls of abbey, town grew become 1 of largest , prosperous in luxembourg.

carolingian renaissance

beornrad, third abbot of echternach, great favourite of charlemagne, , promoted archbishop of sens in 785. when beornrad died, in 797, charlemagne took direct control of abbey year.

the work of monks @ abbey heavily influenced willibrord s roots in northumbria , ireland, great emphasis put on codices, , echternach developed 1 of important scriptoria in frankish empire. abbey @ echternach produced 4 gospels (in order of production): augsburg gospels, maaseyck gospels, trier gospels, , freiburg gospel book fragment.

manuscripts produced @ echternach known have been in both insular , roman half uncial script. echternach prolific, , enjoyed patronage of, , aggrandisement by, pepin short , charlemagne, played crucial role in development of carolingian renaissance. seeing work of abbey @ echternach @ taming native german script, , eager further reform, charlemagne sent alcuin, establish scriptorium @ court in aachen. alcuin synthesised 2 styles standard carolingian minuscule, predominated next 4 centuries.

the 9th century heyday of abbey, enjoyed power, both spiritual , temporal. however, guaranteed carolingians. when authority of centralised frankish state collapsed during civil wars under louis pious, did power of abbey. in 847, benedictine monks ejected , replaced lay-abbots.

return of benedictine monks

text page codex aureus of echternach

the fortunes of abbey continued vary fortunes of holy roman empire. when otto great reunited empire, sought rejuvenate intellectual , religious life of dominions, including echternach. in 971, restored benedictines echternach forty monks of order trier. abbey entered second golden age, once again became 1 of northern europe s influential abbeys. codex aureus of echternach, important surviving codex written entirely in gold ink produced here in 11th century.

the modern abbey

around middle of 19th century, quire began crumble , feared might collapse completely. reason, association founded in 1862 reconstruction of church (the kirchbauverein). rebuilding in neo-roman style completed in 1868, , abbey re-consecrated.

in recognition of importance national centre of pilgrimage st. willibrord, pope pius xii granted abbey status of minor basilica in 1939.

part of basilica destroyed shells in 1944, necessitating reconstruction - sixth in 14 centuries - in original roman style. facade nod basilica of paray-le-monial. building again re-consecrated in 1953, though 8th century crypt has survived throughout no major damage.