Saint Walter of Pontoise | |
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| Born | c. 1030 Andainville, Picardy |
| Died | Good Fridayc. 1099 |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church |
| Canonized | 1153 byHugh de Boves, theArchbishop of Rouen |
| Feast | March 23 April 8 |
| Patronage | Prisoners; prisoners of war; vintners; invoked against job-related stress[1][2] |
Walter of Pontoise (French:Gautier, Gaultier, Gaucher;c. 1030 –c. 1099) was a Frenchsaint of the eleventh century. Born atAndainville,[3] he was a professor ofphilosophy andrhetoric before becoming aBenedictine monk atRebais (diocese ofMeaux). A story told of him is that while a novice, Walter took pity on an inmate at the monastery prison, and helped the prisoner to escape.[2]
Philip I appointed himabbot of a new foundation atPontoise, despite Walter's protestations. The foundation of Pontoise was initially dedicated toSaint Germanus of Paris but then was dedicated toSaint Martin. The discipline at this new foundation was lax, and Walter fled the house several times to avoid this responsibility.[4]
Walter left his position at Pontoise to become a monk atCluny underHugh but he was forced to return to Pontoise.[4] A story told of him was that he once took the road toTouraine and hid himself on an island in theLoire, before being led back to the abbey.[3] He also escaped to an oratory nearTours dedicated toCosmas and Damian before being recognized by apilgrim there.[4]
After being forced to return again, this time Walter decided to go toRome to appeal directly to thepope. Walter gavePope Gregory VII his written resignation, but Gregory ordered him to assume his responsibilities as abbot and never leave again.[4]
Thereafter, he campaigned against the abuses and corruptions of his fellow Benedictines, and was beaten and imprisoned. He resumed his work after being released. He founded, in 1094, atBerteaucourt-les-Dames nearAmiens, a monastery for women, with the assistance of Godelinda and Elvige (also spelled Godelende and Héleguide).[4][5]
Walter was buried in the abbey at Pontoise. He was canonized by Hugh theArchbishop of Rouen in 1153, and was the last saint in Western Europe to have been canonized by an authority other than the pope.[6][7] "The last case of canonization by a metropolitan is said to have been that of St. Gaultier, or Gaucher, abbat [sic] of Pontoise, by the Archbishop of Rouen, A.D. 1153. A decree ofPope Alexander III, A.D. 1170, gave the prerogative to the pope thenceforth, so far as the Western Church was concerned."[6]
During theFrench Revolution, his body wastranslated to the cemetery of Pontoise, and was later lost.[4] The College of Saint Martin of Pontoise, now anOratorian foundation, celebrates his feast.[4]
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