VILLIGIS (Willigius), Saint. — Archbishop of Mainz, one of the ablest administrators of the 10th century, born at Schüningen of poor parents, died at Mainz on 23 February 1011.
He was a canon at Hildesheim when in 970 he was summoned to the court of 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 imperial chancellor. He played a decisive part in the political affairs of the time; it was he who secured the crown for the underage Otto III, which the archbishop bestowed upon him in 983 at Aachen; upon the death of Empress Theophania he assisted in the government alongside Empress Adelaide, and when the young Emperor died at the age of 21, he compelled his cousin Henry of Bavaria to succeed him. All this without neglecting his ecclesiastical duties. He spread the faith in Schleswig, Holstein, Denmark, and Sweden, taking particular care in the selection of bishops. He built and restored various churches, established the collegiate churches of St Stephen and St Victor, rebuilt the cathedral twice, founded monasteries, promoted art and learning, and alongside the cathedral school, where he himself taught, he fostered the school of St Alban. He maintained excellent relations with the Holy See, and Benedict VII invested him with the pallium. He had only one dispute, with the bishop of Hildesheim over the female monastery of the Church of Gandersheim, on the borders of the two dioceses; Rome ruled against him, and he humbly submitted. He was venerated as a saint in Mainz and in various other dioceses of Germany. Feast day: 23 February.