The
last pagan king of the Frisians was noted for saying that he preferred
to be in Hell with his ancestors than in Heaven without them. However,
his great-grandson and namesake became a saint.
Under the
tutelage of his maternal uncle, Gunther, Bishop of Cologne, the young
Radbod often wrote hymns and poems about the saints. In the year 900 he
wrote: “I, Radbod, a sinner, have been taken, though unworthy, into
the company of ministers of the church of Utrecht; with whom I pray that
I may attain to eternal life.”
Before the year was out, he
was chosen bishop of that church. As the church of Utrecht had been
founded by priests of a monastic order, Radhod made his profession as a
monk before being consecrated its bishop.
From the time of his
consecration the new bishop never ate meat, often fasted as long as
three days and was renowned and loved for his kindness to the poor.
During a Danish invasion, Radhod moved his episcopal see from Utrecht to Denventer, and there died in peace in the year 918.
Sunday, November 29, 2020
St. Radbod of Utrecht
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