Blessed Frederick of Arras

established between these two men of God, whose names became from then on inseparable. In fact, at the moment wh en Frede Frédéric Former nobleman who became a monk and provost of Saint-Vaast in Arras. ric opened his heart to Ric Richard Abbot of Saint-Vannes in Verdun and pilgrimage companion. hard to manifest his desires to him and ask for the counsel of his experience and friendship, the latter confessed that he had felt, especially for some time, agitated by the same thoughts, and that he was seriously thinking of leaving the world to dedicate himself to God in the monastic life. From that moment, their resolution was taken, and they began to deliberate to know toward which religious house they would direct their steps. Their choice s ettled on Sa Saint-Vannes Monastery in Verdun where Frederick began his religious life. int- Vannes Verdun City where the Abbey of Saint-Vanne is located. , in Verdun, which enjoyed a great reputation for regularity. This monastery, ruined formerly by the Barbarians, had only meager revenues and imposed on its members deprivations of all kinds. It had as abbot an Irishman, called Fi ngen, Fingen Irish abbot of Saint-Vannes at the arrival of Frederick. a man of exemplary virtue and austerity. Upon seeing Frederic and Richard present themselves and ask him to receive them among the number of his spiritual children, he gave thanks to God; but noticing at the same time that these two personages belonged to noble and rich families, he feared that they might not be able to submit to the observances that the rule imposed. Several trials to which he subjected them served only to manifest with more brilliance the virtue of the two postulants. Frederic, in particular, studied to make his brothers forget, by his humility and abnegation, from what race he had descended. One could not help but admire this lord who had become a poor monk, an indefatigable servant, in this city of Verdun where, a few years earlier, he commanded as a master. Even at that time, despite the vivacity of faith in the hearts of the people, one sometimes had difficulty appreciating this holy folly of the cross. One day even Godefroy, Frederic's brot her, cou Godefroy Brother of Frédéric, who reproaches him for his servile occupations. ld not help but reproach him for his conduct. Having come to the monastery in the evening, he found him occupied with washing the dishes. "What an occupation for a count!" he said to him with a disdainful air. "You are right, my brother," replied the humble religious, "it is far above me, for who am I to deserve to render the slightest services to Saint Peter and Saint Vannes, patrons of this house?" Another time, one of the religious wanting to take off his shoes, Frederic gave him this answer: "What use would it be for me to have left the honors of the world if, without necessity, I received from my brothers the services that were rendered to me formerly in the world? I am not here to be served, but to serve." This conduct of Frederic made the deepest impression, not only on the religious of Saint-Vannes, but on the great ones of the world and in particular on the members of his family. Hermann, one of his brothers, wished to dedicate himself to God, with his son Gregory, in this same community, and under the guidance of the venerable Richard, named abbot at the death of Fingen. Called later to the monastery of Saint-Vaast in Arras, to establish Saint-Vaast d'Arras Monastery reformed by Richard and Frederick. the reform there, Richard took Frederic with him and entrusted him with the functions of provost. The latter acquitted himself of them with zeal and prudence until the day of his death, which occurred on January 6, 1020. Abbot Richard had the body of his pious friend transported to the monastery of Saint-Vannes in Verdun, and kept in Arras only his entrails.