Saint Paschasius Radbertus

Paschasius Radbertus (785–865) was a Carolingian theologian and the abbot of Corbie, a monastery in Picardy founded in 657 or 660 by the queen regent Bathilde with a founding community of monks from Luxeuil Abbey. His most well-known and influential work is an exposition on the nature of the Eucharist written around 831, entitled De Corpore et Sanguine Domini. He was canonized in 1073 by Pope Gregory VII. His feast day is 26 April. His works are edited in Patrologia Latina vol. 120 (1852) and his important tract on the Eucharist and transubstantiation, De Corpore et Sanguine Domini, in a 1969 edition by B. Paulus, published by Brepols (Corpus Christianorum, Continuatio Mediaevalis 16). Paschasius was an orphan left on the steps of the convent of Notre-Dame de Soissons. He was raised by the nuns there, and became very fond of the abbess, Theodrara. Theodrara was sister of Adalard of Corbie and Wala of Corbie, two monks whom he admired greatly. At a fairly young age, Paschasius left the convent to serve as a monk under Abbot Adalard, at Corbie. There he also met Wala, Adalard's brother and successor. Through the abbotship of both Adalard and Wala, Paschasius focused on the monastic life, spending his time studying and teaching. In 822 he accompanied abbot Adalard into Saxony for the purpose of founding the monastery of New Corvey in Westphalia. When Adalard died in 826, Paschasius helped ensure Wala would become Abbot in his place. After Wala's death in 836 Heddo became abbot. Ratramnus, who may have held the position of teaching master, held opposing views to Paschasius on a number of ecclesiastical issues. Ratramnus wrote a refutation of Paschasius' treatise on the Eucharist, De Corpore et Sanguine Domini, using the same title. In 843 Paschasius succeeded Abbot Isaac; however, he resigned his title ten years later to return to his studies. He left Corbie for the nearby monastery of Saint-Riquier, where he lived in voluntary exile for some years.