Saint Gregory of Utrecht

Gregory of Utrecht (c. 700/705 – August 25, 776) was born of a noble family at Trier. He became a follower of Saint Boniface, who sent him to study at the Monastery of Saint Michael at Ohrdruf. He then accompanied Boniface on his missionary journeys. In 750, Boniface appointed Gregory abbot of St. Martin's Monastery in Utrecht. St. Martin's became a centre of learning and missionary activity. When, in 754, Eoban left to accompany Boniface on their last missionary trip, Gregory was tasked with administering the diocese of Utrecht, which he did faithfully for the next twenty-three years until his death in 776. Gregory of Utrecht was born around the year 700 of a noble family at Trier. His father Alberic was the son of Addula, who in her widowhood was Abbess of Pfalzel (Palatiolum) near Trier. (Because of the similarity of names and also because of a forged will, Addula has been frequently confused with Saint Adela of Pfalzel, daughter of Dagobert II of Austrasia, thus wrongly imputing to Gregory membership of the royal house of the Merovingians). He received his early education at Pfalzel. When, in 722, Boniface passed through Trier on his way from Frisia to Hesse and Thuringia, he stayed at this convent. Abbess Addula called on her fifteen years old grandson to read the scriptures at the meals. Saint Boniface gave an explanation of them and expanded upon the merits of an apostolic life, by which Gregory was inspired to accompany him. When Gregory persisted in his desire to go with Boniface, Addula gave him servants and horses. He now became a disciple of Boniface, who sent him to the Monastery of Saint Michael at Ohrdruf to continue his studies. Gregory later became Boniface's helper, and accompanied him in all his missionary tours. In 738 Saint Boniface made his third journey to Rome; Gregory went with him and brought back many valuable additions for his library. In 744 Saint Willibrord, the first Bishop of Utrecht, had died but no successor had been named.