ILDEBERTO of LAVARDIN (of LE MANS, of TOURS, Hildebertus Cenomanensis). — Bishop and theologian, born in 1056 at Lavardin (diocese of Le Mans), died at Tours on 18 Dec. 1133. Trained in the flourishing school of Le Mans and becoming its head, he was elected bishop (1092) by Bishop Hoel, whom he succeeded in 1097. After overcoming the difficulties raised against his election by William, King of England, and Elias, Count of Maine, he devoted himself zealously to the care of his diocese. After a journey to Rome and Sicily, where he was warmly received by Roger, son of the Guiscard, he fought against the Henricians and succeeded in completing the construction of the cathedral. In 1125 he became archbishop of Tours and, with the help of the Pope, resisted lay interference in ecclesiastical affairs. Initially, in good faith, a partisan of Peter Leo (the antipope Amadeus), he was brought back to obedience to the true pope, Innocent II, by St. Bernard.
His numerous works, praised by his contemporaries, were first printed in full by Dom Beaugendre, *Ven. Hildeberti Turonensis arch. opera tam edita quam inedita* (Paris 1708). This edition was harshly criticized by the Benedictines, authors of the *Historia litteraria de la France*, XI (Paris 1754), by the Augustinian X. Schier, *Dissertatio de Hildeberti operibus, eorum genuinitate, integritate, editionibus* (Vienna 1767), by V. Leclerc in the notes added to the 2nd ed. of the *Historia litteraria*, XI (Paris 1869), pp. 20-26, and by Hauréau (see bibliography). Despite this, Bourassé republished it, with supplements, in *PL* 171, 1-1463. The extensive corpus of letters (177 letters) is valuable for dogmatics, piety, and history (e.g., letters 11, 21, 22 deal with the imprisonment of Paschal II). Written in good Latin and rich in fine observations, these letters were highly esteemed in the Middle Ages and constitute Hildebert’s finest work. Hauréau’s criticism has been more severe regarding his oratorical works: of the 141 sermons attributed to him, 54 are by Geoffrey Babion, 25 by Peter Lombard, 24 by Peter Muster, 7 by Maurice of Sully, 21 by unknown authors, 4 are of doubtful authenticity, and only 4 certainly belong to him, confirming his ancient reputation as the "sonorous trumpet of Christ." His extensive poetic output mainly concerns the Eucharist (*De mysterio Missae; De sacra Eucharistia*). Father Hurter printed separately (in *SS. Patrum opuscula selecta*, XXXIX, Innsbruck 1879, pp. 274-84) the concise and elegant *Tractatus de Sacramento altaris*. Also noteworthy are his updated *Vitae ss. Redegundis et Hugonis cluniacensis*. The conflict between flesh and spirit is addressed in the prose and verse dialogue *De querimonia et conflictu carnis et spiritus*. His dogmatics are developed in a manner foreshadowing the scholastic method in the *Tractatus theologicus*, whose authenticity is questioned.