Evermode of Ratzeburg | |
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| Religious, bishop, Light of theSaxons and Apostle of theWends | |
| Born | c. 1100 County of Hainaut, Holy Roman Empire |
| Died | 17 February 1178 Ratzeburg, Prince-Bishopric of Ratzeburg, Holy Roman Empire |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church (Norbertine Canons Regular;Ratzeburg) |
| Canonized | 1728 (cultus confirmed) byPope Benedict XIII |
| Feast | 17 February |
Evermode, orEvermod (c. 1100 – 17 February 1178), was one of the firstPremonstratensiancanons regular, and became the lifelong companion ofNorbert of Xanten, who founded the order in France in 1120. He is sometimes referred to as the "Apostle of theWends".[1]
Evermode was born in Belgium around 1100. At about the age of twenty, he heard Norbert preach in the city ofCambrai and decided to join him. He accompanied Norbert toAntwerp[2] and then, in 1126, to the half-pagan town ofMagdeburg, where Norbert had been named as bishop. He attended to the bishop on his deathbed and ensured his burial in the church of the Norbertine Priory of Our Lady there, which Norbert had formed from the members of thecathedral chapter. A few months before his death in 1134, Norbert appointed Evermode actingprovost of thePriory of Gottesgnaden.[3]
In 1138 Evermode was elected as the provost of the Priory of Our Lady in Magdeburg. In this post, he oversaw the foundations of new Premonstratensian communities inHavelberg,Jerichow,Quedlinburg andPöhlde, serving in that post until 1154, when he was named theBishop of Ratzeburg,[2] the first since its destruction by theWends in 1066. He was consecrated bishop by theArchbishop of Mainz. He formed the newly named cathedral chapter of the diocese into a Premonstratensian community. Theevangelization of the Wendish population was a primary goal of his episcopacy, and he traveled around the diocese, preaching to the people in their native language.[3]
Worn out by his labors, Evermode died in 1178, and was buried in the cathedral he had built. He was succeeded by his fellow Norbertine,Isfrid.
His cult was approved byPope Benedict XIII in 1728.[2] Evermode is honored as a saint in theArchdiocese of Hamburg, which now covers that region, and in the Norbertine Order. Hisfeast day is celebrated on 17 February.
He is depicted as a bishop bestowing a blessing.[4]
The Evermode Institute of the Corpus Christi Priory, St. Michael Abbey is named in honor of St. Evermode.[5][6]
| Catholic Church titles | ||
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| Preceded by Aristo (died 1066) | Bishop of Ratzeburg 1154-1178 | Vacant Title next held by Isfrid of Ratzeburg |
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