Filibert, Saint

FILIBERT, Saint. - B. 616-20, d. 20 Aug. 685. Apostle and patron of the Vendée. Of a noble family, probably originally from Eauxe, he was educated at the court of Dagobert I, where he enjoyed the friendship of St. Ouen, archbishop of Rouen. Disgusted by the worldliness of the court, at the age of 21 he became a monk at Rebaïs under the abbot St. Agilus, whom he succeeded.

At the beginning of his rule he faced an open rebellion by some of the monks. Perhaps as a result of his own experience he set himself a plan for the reform of monastic life and, having left Rebaïs, visited several monasteries in France and Italy, especially Luxeuil and Bobbio, in order to study on the spot the rules and the spirit of the different Orders. From then on he no longer concerned himself with Rebaïs and turned his thoughts to new foundations. Around 650 he founded on the Seine the famous monastery of St. Peter of Jumièges and was its first abbot; shortly afterwards he founded in an unidentified place a monastery for women, for which he proposed Austerberta, formerly abbess of Port-le-Grand, and which was later definitively established at Pavilly. In 677 F., fleeing the persecution of Ebroin, took refuge with Ansoald, bishop of Poitiers, who helped him to found on the island of Her the monastery of Noirmoutier, afterwards called that of St. Philibert. In 683-84, after the death of Ebroin, he was able to return to Jumièges and founded at Montvilliers another monastery for women. After the death of his friend St. Ouen (684), he departed from Jumièges, leaving St. Achard there as abbot, and retired to Noirmoutier.

Ulderico Vicentini