VILLIGISO (Willigiso), saint. — Archbishop of Mainz, one of the finest statesmen of the tenth century, born at Schüningen of a poor family, died at Mainz on 23 February 1011.
He was a canon at Hildesheim when, in 970, he was summoned to court by Emperor Otto II, who in 971 appointed him chief chaplain of his private chapel and chancellor of Germany, and in 975 archbishop of Mainz and chief chancellor of the Empire. He played a decisive role in the political affairs of the time; indeed, it was through him that the underage Otto III retained the crown, which he received from the archbishop at Aachen in 983. Upon the death of the empress Theophano, he shared in the government with Empress Adelaide, and when the young Emperor died at the age of twenty-one, he compelled his cousin Henry of Bavaria to succeed him. All this without neglecting his ecclesiastical duties. He propagated the faith in Schleswig, Holstein, Denmark, and
Sweden, taking particular care in the choice of bishops. He built and restored various churches, founded the collegiate churches of S. Stefano and S. Vittore; he rebuilt the Cathedral twice, established monasteries, and promoted art and science. Beside the cathedral school, where he himself taught, he caused the school of S. Albano to flourish. He always maintained excellent relations with the Holy See, and Benedict VII conferred the pallium upon him. He had only one dispute, with the bishop of Hildesheim, concerning the women’s monastery and the church of Gandersheim, on the boundary between the two dioceses: Rome decided against him, and he humbly submitted. He was venerated as a saint at Mainz and in various other dioceses of Germany. Feast day: 23 February.