Saint Odo of Cluny - November 18
Also known as
Oddone
Memorial
18 November
Profile
Born to the nobility, the son of Abbo. Raised in the courts of Count Fulk II of Anjou and Duke William of Aquitaine. Received the Order of Tonsure at age nineteen. Canon of the church of Saint Martin of Tours. Studied music and theology in Paris for four years, studying under Remigius of Auxerre. Returning home, he spent years as a near-hermit in a cell, studying and praying.
Benedictine monk at Baume, diocese of Besancon, France in 909, bringing all his worldly possessions – a library of about 100 books. Spiritual student of the abbot, Saint Berno of Cluny. Headmaster of the monastery school at Baume. Abbot of Baume in 924. Abbot of Cluny, Massey and Deols in 927.
In 931, Pope John XI asked Odo to reform all the monasteries in the Aquitaine, northern France and Italy. Negotiated a peace between Heberic of Rome and Hugh of Provence in 936; returned twice in six years to renegotiate the peace between them. Persuaded many secular leaders to give up control of monasteries so they could return to being spiritual centers, not sources of cash for the state. Founded the monastery of Our Lady on the Aventine in Rome. Wrote a biography of Saint Gerald of Aurillac, three books of essays on morality, some homilies, an epic poem on the Redemption, and twelve choral antiphons in honour of Saint Martin of Tours. Noted for his knowledge, his administrative abilities, his skills as a reformer, and as a writer; also known for his charity, he has been depicted giving the poor the clothes off his back.
Born
c.879 at Le Mans, France
Died
18 November 942 in Tours, France of natural causes while travelling to Rome, Italy
buried in the church of Saint Julian
most relics burned by Huguenots
Canonized
Pre-Congregation
Patronage
for rain
musicians
–
in France
Cluny
Tours
Dedication of the Basilicas of Peter and Paul (Optional Memorial)
Rose Philippine Duchesne (Optional Memorial, United States)
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Amandus of Lérins
Anselm of Lérins
Barulas
Christopher of Penne
Constant
Ferdinando Santamaria
Guilminus
Karolina Kózkówna
Keverne
Mabenna
Mawes
Maximus of Mainz
Mummolus of Lagny
Nazarius of Lérins
Noah the Patriarch
Odo of Cluny
Oriculus
Patroclus of Colombier
Romacario of Constance
Romfarius of Coutances
Romano of Antioch
Teofredo of Vellaicum
Thomas of Antioch
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Martyred in Japan
Andreas Murayama Tokuan
Cosmas Takeya Sozaburo
Domingos Jorge
Ioannes Yoshida Shoun
Leonardus Kimura
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War
Martyred Visitationists of Madrid
Augusto Cordero Fernández
Emiliano Martínez de La Pera Alava
Esteban Anuncibay Letona
Francisco Marco Alemán
Germán García y García
José María Cánovas Martínez
Modesto Sáez Manzanares
Vidal Luis Gómara
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Amparo Hinojosa Naveros
Aniano
Juan Bernal
Raymond Albert
Saint Odo of Cluny (French: Odon) (c. 878 – 18 November 942) was the second abbot of Cluny. He enacted various reforms in the Cluniac system of France and Italy.
Life
Saint Odo was the son of a feudal lord of Deols, near Le Mans, and received his early education at the court of William the Pious, duke of Aquitaine. After entering as a cleric to the monastery of St.Martin of Tours, he studied at Paris under Remigius of Auxerre. About 909, he became a monk, priest, and then superior of the abbey school in Baume, whose abbot, Berno, was the founder and first abbot of Cluny Abbey in 910. Odo followed him to Cluny, bringing his library; there he became abbot on Berno's death in 927.
Authorized by a privilege of Pope John XI in 931, Odo reformed the monasteries in Aquitaine, northern France, and Italy. The papal privilege empowered him to unite several abbeys under his supervision and to receive at Cluny monks from Benedictine abbeys not yet reformed; the greater number of the reformed monasteries, however, remained independent, and several became centres of reform. Odo became the great reforming abbot of Cluny, which became the model of monasticism for over a century and transformed the role of piety in European daily life (see Clunian Reforms).
Between 936 and 942 he visited Italy several times, founding in Rome the monastery of Our Lady on the Aventine and reforming several convents, e.g., Subiaco and Monte Cassino. He was sometimes entrusted with important political missions, e.g., when peace was arranged between Hugh of Arles and Alberic I of Spoleto.
Writings
Among his writings are: a comment on the Moralia of St.Gregory, a biography of Saint Gerald of Aurillac, three books of Collationes (moral essays, severe and forceful). a few sermons, an epic poem on the Redemption (Occupatio) in several books (ed. Swoboda, 1900), and twelve choral antiphons in honour of Saint Martin of Tours. Some scholars have attributed the Musica Enchiriadis to him.
Biographies
There is only one contemporary biography of him, the Vita Odonis written by John of Salerno.
Feast day
His feast day is 18 November.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odo_of_Cluny