VANDREGISILUS (WANDRILLE), Saint. — Benedictine, son of Duke Valchise and relative of Pippin of Landen, born c. 600 in the territory of Verdun and died in the monastery that bears his name on 22 July 663.
He was educated at court and made “Count of the Palace” under Dagobert. Attracted, he and his wife, to the monastic life, they separated to consecrate themselves to the service of God. Wandregisilus first joined Bobbio, whose austere rule suited his tastes well. He later spent ten years in the monastery of St-Claude, after which he was called to Rouen by the bishop of St-Ouen, who ordained him priest. In 649 he founded on the banks of the Seine, at Fontenelle, the monastery that would later bear his name. Thanks to royal generosity, Fontenelle with its 300 monks was in no way inferior to the nearby monastery of Jumièges, nor to the other, equally numerous, foundations of the 7th century. The Rule of St Benedict, then in full vogue, was however augmented by certain practices of greater austerity (such as frequent Confession), which bear witness to the influence exerted by St Columbanus on his disciple Wandregisilus. Feast day: 22 July.