Saint Ambrose Autpert

Ambrose had been serving God in his monastery for several years, where his example had attracted other Frenchmen who had left the court and their country to follow him, when Abbot John died. This death gave rise to an unfortunate division that arose within the community regarding the election of a new superior. Two parties were formed, one of which, composed of Italians and French, named the blessed Autpert as abbot, and the other, which le bienheureux Autpert Monk of French origin, abbot of Saint-Vincent in the 8th century. was composed only of Lombard religious, chose Pothon.

The latter had made enemies for himself: they accused him of criminal infidelity toward Charlemagne, who had become master of Lombardy after dethroning Desiderius, the last king of that country. This accusation, the falsity of which was only discovered later, nevertheless appeared sufficient to cause Pothon to be rejected and to force Autpert to take charge of the monastery of Saint-Vincent.

As he had been far from seek monastère de Saint-Vincent Monastery directed by Ambrose Autpert. ing this office, he only accepted it with extreme reluctance, and it required an express order from Charlemagne to mak e him overcome it. This pri ordre exprès de Charlemagne Emperor of the Franks and uncle of Saint Folquin. nce granted various favors to the monastery of Saint-Vincent in his consideration; and, as the accusation of lèse-majesté still persisted against Pothon, whom the Lombards supported through a kind of schism in the dignity of abbot that they had procured for him, he referred the matter to Pope Adrian I, through that spirit o f moderation a pape Adrien II Pope reigning at the time of the saint's death. nd piety which made him fear condemning ecclesiastics and religious.

Adrian, in order to clarify the trial, summoned Pothon and Abbot Autpert before him, who died on the way, of a sudden death, on July 19 of the year 778, after having governed the abbey of Saint-Vincent for one year, two months, and twenty-five days. Pothon was recognized as innocent and justified, but he was only abbot after Hainart, successor to the blessed Autpert.

The body of our Blessed one was buried in the church of Saint Peter; but it is not known whether it was at the place where he died or in the abbey of Saint Vincent. Be that as it may, this church having been ruined, he was transferred, around the year 1644, to that of the abbey which had been rebuilt, and enclosed in a large tomb with those of the abbots Joshua and Hilary and some ancient religious whose piety had made them commendable.

The most significant of the writings of the blessed Ambrose Autpert is hi s Commentary on the Apocalyp Commentaire sur l'Apocalypse Major work by Ambrose Autpert, long attributed to Ambrose of Milan. se, which has sometimes, though wrongly, been attr ibuted to Saint Ambrose, Bishop saint Ambroise, évêque de Milan Saint who appeared in a vision to Bruno. of Milan. It was printed in Cologne in 1536 and in Lyon in 1677, in volume XIII of the Library of the Fathers. This commentary is divided into ten books, each having a prologue or preface: it is at once literal, moral, and allegorical, and contains beautiful chapters on the Eucharist, on grace, and on the veneration of angels. He also composed a work entitled On the Combat of Vices and Virtu Du Combat des vices et des vertus Moral treatise imitated from the Psychomachia. es, in imitation of the Psychomachia of the poet Prudentius; the Lives of the first three abbots of Saint-Vincent; commentaries on the Leviticus of Moses, the Canticle of Solomon, and the Psalter; homilies on Cupidity, the Purification, the Transfiguration, the Annunciation, and the Assumption; a discourse on the Dedication of Churches; a treatise on the Seven Deadly Sins; and a collection of Letters on various subjects. Baillet: Lives of the Saints; Coilliez: History of Sacred and Ecclesiastical Authors; Acta Sanctorum.