REMBERT OF BREMEN-HAMBURG, ST.

Monk, second archbishop of Bremen-Hamburg; d. Bremen, Germany, June 11, 888. At an early age Rembert (or Rimbert) entered the monastery of Turholt near Bruges in Flanders, where he first met St. ansgar, first archbishop of Hamburg, and became his constant companion. Rembert, consulted by Ansgar on the choice of his eventual successor, was asked to accept the archbishopric himself. Although he refused at first, Rembert finally accepted, and his consecration after Ansgar's death (865) was approved by Louis II the German. Pope Nicholas I conferred the pallium on him. Soon thereafter—as Ansgar had desired—Rembert was formally received as a monk at corvey. Tradition holds that Rembert made missionary journeys as far north as Sweden during his many years as archbishop, but this is disputed. Because of a foot ailment he accepted adalgar of bremen as his coadjutor. He was buried near the cathedral church in Bremen. A life of Rembert was written c. 900 (Monumenta Germaniae Historica: Scriptores 2:765–775). Rembert's biography of Ansgar (Monumenta Germaniae Historica: Scriptores 2:683–725) is a valuable historical document and character sketch.

Feast: Feb. 4.

Bibliography: Acta Apostolicae Sedis Feb. (Rome) 1:559–571. o. h. may, Regesten der Erzbishiöfe von Bremen, v.1 (Hanover 1928) 15–19. a. hauck, Kirchengeschichte Deutschlands (Berlin-Leipzig 1958) 2:708. g. g. meersseman, Rembert van Torhout (Brugge 1943). adam of bremen, History of the Archbishops of Hamburg-Bremen, tr. f. j. tschan (New York 1959). Geschichtsschreiber der deutschen Vorzeit v.22 (1939), v.44 (1962), lives of Rembert and Ansgar. a. rÖpcke, Pro memoria Remberti (Husum 1990).

[v. a. schaefer]