Saint Fulbert of Chartres
Saint Fulbert of Chartres (born c. 952 AD, possibly in Italy or France; died April 10, 1028 AD in Chartres, France) was Bishop of Chartres and one of the greatest intellectual figures of the early 11th century. He founded and led the celebrated Cathedral School of Chartres, which became the leading center of learning in the Latin West before the rise of universities. He oversaw the rebuilding of the Cathedral of Chartres after it was destroyed by fire (1020) and wrote beautiful Marian hymns including Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem. His feast day is April 10.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Fulbert of Chartres
| Saint Fulbert of Chartres | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | April 10 |
| Profession | Bishop; scholar; theologian; educator; Marian hymn-writer |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Bishop of Chartres 1006–1028 |
| Patronage | Chartres; educators; scholars; cathedral schools; Marian devotion |
| Attributes | Bishop's vestments; model of Chartres Cathedral; pen and manuscript; star (Marian symbol); lily |
| Birthplace | Unknown; possibly Italy or northern France |
| Death Place | Chartres, Eure-et-Loir, France |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes; died at Chartres while overseeing the cathedral's rebuilding |
| Primary Shrine | Chartres Cathedral, Chartres — his episcopal see; the great Marian pilgrimage church of France |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman Calendar; feast April 10; observed in Diocese of Chartres |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Fulbert was born around 952 AD — probably in Italy, though some sources say France. He studied under the great Gerbert of Aurillac (later Pope Sylvester II) at Reims and became one of the leading scholars in Europe. He taught at Chartres and eventually became chancellor of the Cathedral School.
In 1006 he was elected Bishop of Chartres — a see whose school he had already made the most prestigious in the Latin West. Under his direction, the Cathedral School of Chartres taught the full curriculum of the classical liberal arts (the trivium and quadrivium) to students from across Europe, many of whom became bishops, abbots, and scholars themselves. His students and correspondents included kings, popes, and the leading minds of his age.
On September 7, 1020, the cathedral and its treasures were largely destroyed by fire. Fulbert immediately began fundraising for a new cathedral from rulers throughout Europe — his letters to King Canute of England and Denmark, King Robert II of France, Duke William V of Aquitaine, and others survive. He began the rebuilding on a grand scale.
He was a devoted Marian and wrote hymns to the Virgin, including Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem (for the Easter season) and several others still used in the liturgy. He died on April 10, 1028, before the cathedral's rebuilding was complete. The great Gothic cathedral that now stands — one of the finest in the world — was built a century later but is his cathedral's direct successor.
His feast is April 10.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Unknown; possibly Italy or northern France
Death location: Chartres, Eure-et-Loir, France
Notable location: His episcopal see; he oversaw the rebuilding of the cathedral after the fire of 1020; he governed the Cathedral School of Chartres, the leading intellectual center of 11th-century Europe; Chartres Cathedral (the later 12th-century Gothic masterpiece) is his spiritual monument (Chartres Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres), Chartres, France)
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Chartres Cathedral (Notre-Dame de Chartres), Chartres, Eure-et-Loir — his episcopal see; one of the great Marian pilgrimage churches of Europe; UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Feast day
April 10
Veneration
Saint Fulbert of Chartres is venerated in the Diocese of Chartres with a feast day on April 10.
Prayers
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