GEOFFREY OF VENDÔME. - Benedictine theologian and cardinal, b. of a noble family ca. 1070 at Angers, d. there on 26 March 1132. After attending the episcopal school of Angers, he became a monk in the abbey of the Most Holy Trinity of Vendôme, where, while still a deacon, he was elected abbot on 21 Aug. 1093. Particularly attached to the Apostolic See, he made the journey to Rome 12 times (ter quater transalpinavi: PL 157, 55), defended Urban II against the antipope Guibert, attended many councils, and hosted Urban II and Paschal II at Vendôme, by whom he was repaid with distinguished favors. As cardinal, he held the title of St. Prisca. His learning was equal to the intrepid courage with which he fought for the freedom of the Church.

His letter collection is extensive and important: it contains letters to Urban II, Paschal II, Ivo of Chartres, Hildebert of Le Mans (PL 157, 34-212). His treatises are brief and pithy: De Corpore et Sanguine Domini; De ordinatione episcoporum; De simonia; De arca foederis and others (PL 157, 212-37). His 11 Sermones are rich in theological doctrine (PL 157, 218-82). Enamored of Rome, he spoke of it with profound veneration, affirming its universal motherhood (mater omnium Ecclesiarum Romana Ecclesia nos proprios et speciales filios habuit atque lacte suae dilectionis nutriti: PL 157, 39) and its infallible teaching (sumquum errare consuerit: PL 157, 42). Along with the motherhood of the Church he extolled that of Mary (vere bona Maria peperit Christum et in Christo peperit christianos. Est itaque mater Christi, mater Christianorum: PL 157, 266). His Eucharistic doctrine is clear and sure.

Bibliography7 works

BIBL.: Notitia historica et litteraria: PL 157, 9-28; Hurter, II, coll. 16-17; J. De Ghellinck, Eucharistic, in DThC, V, coll. 1244; id., L'essor de la littérature latine au XIIe siècle, I, Bruxelles-Parigi 1946, pp. 111, 159; B. Heurtebize, Godfrey de Vendôme, in DThC, VI, coll. 1229-30; J. Griselmann, Eucharistického der Vorscholistik, Paderborn 1926, pp. 474-75; A. Piolanti, Mater unitatis: de spirituali Virginis maternitate secundum monnulos aec. XII scriptores, in Marianum, 11 (1949), pp. 424 and 426.

Antonio Piolanti

@incollection{ec6_goffredo_di_vendome, author = {Piolanti, Antonio}, title = {Goffredo di Vendôme}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VI}, pages = {900}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1951}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/goffredo-di-vendome} }

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Geoffrey of Vendôme

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