BARNARD OF VIENNE, ST.

Archbishop; b. near Lyons, France, c. 778; d. Abbey of Saints-Severin-Exupère-et-Félicien, Valence, France, Jan. 22, 842. He was one of the outstanding figures of the Frankish episcopate during the carolingian reform. He entered the army and, after seven years of married life, decided to renounce the world. He founded the benedictine monastery of Ambronay, where he became a monk in 803 and where four years later he became abbot. He was elected archbishop of vienne in 810, and in this office he played an important role in the synodal movement that attempted to reestablish peace and order in both Church and State. By taking part in the consecration of agobard to the metropolitan See of Lyons before the death of the reigning prelate leidradus, who had entered a monastery, he incurred the hostility of his colleagues and was accused of violating Canon Law. Barnard enjoyed the favor of louis i the pious, for a time; but when he sided with his son lothair against him, he was forced to escape to Italy after the victory of the emperor. Louis forgave the luckless intervention, and the archbishop was able to return to his see and found the monastery of Saints-Severin-Exupère-et-Félicien, where he retired to spend his last days and where he was buried. His cult was reconfirmed in 1903.

Feast: Jan. 23.

Bibliography: Acta Sanctae Sedis (Rome 1865–1908) 3:157–161. p. É. giraud, Essai historique sur l'Abbaye de saint Barnard de Romans, 5 v. (Lyons 1856–69). a. m. zimmermann, Kalendarium Benedictinum, (Metten 1933–38) 1:118–120. a. m. zimmermann, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, ed. j. hofer and k. rahner (Freiburg 1957–65) 1:1257. g. mariÉ, Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques, ed. a. baudrillart et al. (Paris 1912) 6: 858–859.

[t. c. crowley]