Sunday, January 19, 2020

SAINT AIBERT

St. Aibert
Aybert of Crespin,
Also known as Aibert, Albert
Born in the diocese of Tournai, France;
Feast day: April 7
Death: 1140



Benedictine ascetic and recluse. Aibert, or Aybert, was born near Tournai, Belgium, and entered the Benedictine Monastery of St. Crespin. He remained a monk for twenty-three years, serving in several capacities. He then became a hermit. Aibert is recorded as celebrating two Masses each day, one for the living, the second for the dead.


 A penitent recluse almost from childhood, Saint Aybert spent most of his time in prayer. Even as a child he kept watch through the night on his knees; when he was too tired to support himself, he would then prostrate himself in prayer. But he always tried to hide his devotion from others, so he would pray in the stable or in the fields. He was equally private in his fasts; therefore, he also ate some morsel so that he could answer his parents truthfully that he had eaten.

One day a poor minstrel came to his father's door and sang a hymn about the virtues and recent death of the hermit Saint Theobald. This inspired the young saint to imitate the faith and action of his elder in faith. He immediately went to Father John at the Benedictine monastery of Crespin in the diocese of Cambrai. The good father lived as a recluse in a cell near the monastery and under its direction. John accepted Aybert as his companion, but soon the student traded places with his master. They rarely ate anything but wild herbs, rarely used a fire, and never cooked.

Eventually, Aybert was received by Abbot Rainer at Crespin Abbey where he was provost and cellarer for 25 years. Yet he never let his exterior occupations interrupt his tears, prayer, or penances. After receiving permission from Abbot Lambert, Aybert spent the next 22 years as a recluse under the obedience of the abbey. But he was never entirely alone; many flocked to him for spiritual advice--so many that Bishop Burchard of Cambray promoted him to the priesthood and erected a chapel near his cell. This gave Aybert the power to minister to his visitors in the confessional and in the Eucharist. Each day he said two Masses: one for the dead and the other for the living. His devotional practice of reciting the Ave Maria 50 times in succession is connected with the origin of the rosary 

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