Saint Hidulf

Hildulf (died 707) was an abbot, founder of Moyenmoutier Abbey, and reputed bishop of Trier. He is a Catholic and Orthodox saint. His feast day is 11 July. There are three biographies (Vitae Hidulphi), all from the 11th century, which contradict each other on a number of points. There is little doubt about his founding of Moyenmoutier, but the three subsequent hagiographies are suspect in the eyes of historians. While acknowledging that some authors place Hildulf's birthplace in Belgium or Bavaria, hagiographer John O'Hanlon lists him with the Irish saints. Hildulf was born sometime in the early 6th century to a noble family, possibly in Bavaria. He is said to have had two brothers, Saints Albert and Erhard of Regensburg. Hildulf was sent to Regensburg to complete his studies. Hildulf went to Trier, where he became a monk at the Abbey of Saint Maximin. He was a friend of Saint Deodatus, who had previously been bishop of Nevers in France, but had since retired to solitude. Deodatus had founded a monastery for Augustinian canons, which was later named Saint-Dié (Sancti Deodati). After his death, Hildulf took over as abbot of the monastery. Many scholars believe that this connection is unlikely. Many traditions say that in 665 he was elected bishop of Trier after Saint Numerian. He is said to have built the Johanniskirche in Trier and endowed it with the relics of some martyrs of the Theban Legion, and in 667 he brought relics of the city's saints, Saints Maximin, Agritius, Nicetius and Basinus over to the abbey church of Saint Maximin. A contemporary view is that he was not a diocesan bishop, nor abbot of Saint-Dié Abbey. Some sources believe that he was probably not a diocesan bishop, but a chorepiscopus, that is, an auxiliary bishop without a fixed episcopate, but associated with the monastery of St Maximinus in Trier, which is perhaps more likely.