ARIBERTO (HARIBERT, commonly HERIBERT), saint. - Son of Count Ugo of Worms, b. about 970, d. 16 March 1021. Educated at Gorze and counsellor to Ottone III, he was elected archbishop of Colonia in 999. Present at Paternò del Soratte in 1002 at the death of Ottone III, he brought his body and the insignia of the empire back to his homeland. Opposed by Enrico II, he withdrew from politics, devoting himself solely to the spiritual government of his diocese. In 1002 he founded the Benedictine abbey of Deutz.
His cult is attested by almost contemporary documents. The bull of canonization, however, is considered spurious (Martyr. Romanum, p. 100). His feast is celebrated on 10 March, and the translation on 20 Aug. The relics (chasuble and crozier), formerly preserved in the abbey church of Deutz, are now in the Neo-Romanesque church of S. Eriberto, together with the celebrated «Heribertschrein», a magnificent Romanesque reliquary (c. 1170) with enamel medallions.