BERTOLFO di RENTY, saint. — Born under Sigeberto (639–56) to a pagan German family; having gone to Thérouanne (Belgium) and received Baptism there, he became steward to Count Wamberto, who, with his wife Omburga, founded at Renty (diocese of Thérouanne) three churches and a monastery, of which B. probably became abbot. He died on 5 February 705; every year on the day of his feast (5 February), a thousand loaves are distributed, in perpetual memory of the great charity he showed towards the poor.
BIBL.: Acta Sanctorum Belgii, V, Bruxelles 1789, pp. 459–90 with introduction by J. Ghesquière, ibid., pp. 453–59; [J. M.] La vie de St B., Boulogne 1852; F. S. De Ram, Hagiogr. Belge, II, Bruxelles 1867, pp. 137–43; F. Ferrant, Esquisse historique sur le culte et les reliques de St B. de Renty en l'église de Harlebeke, Bruges 1897; L. van der Essen, Etude critique et littéraire sur les Vitae des saints de l'ancienne Belgique, Lovanio 1907, pp. 422–23. Filippo Oppenheim