SAINT CORBINIAN, BISHOP OF FRISINGEN, C.

HE was a native of France, being born at Chatre, on the road to Orleans, and he lived a recluse fourteen years in a cell which he built in his youth, near a chapel in the same place. The fame of his sanctity, which was increased by the reputation of several miracles, and the prudence of the advice which he gave in spiritual matters to those who resorted to him, rendered his name famous over the whole country, and he admitted several fervent persons to form themselves into a religious community under his discipline. The distraction which this gave him made him think of seeking some new solitude in which he might live in his former obscurity; and his devotion to St. Peter determined him to go to Rome, and there choose a cell near the church of the prince of the apostles. The pope, whose blessing he asked, becoming acquainted with his abilities, told him he ought not to live for himself alone, whilst many nations, ripe for the harvest, were perishing for want of strenuous laborers, and ordaining him bishop, gave him a commission to preach the gospel. Corbinian was affrighted at such a language, but being taught to obey, lest he should resist the voice of God, returned first to his own country, and, by his preaching, produced great fruit among the people. In a second journey to Rome he converted many idolators in Bavaria, as he passed through that country. Pope Gregory II. sent him back from Rome into that abandoned vineyard, commanding him to make it the field of his labors. Corbinian did so, and having much increased the number of the Christians, fixed his episcopal see at Frisingen, in Upper Bavaria. Though indefatigable in his apostolic functions, he was careful not to overlay himself with more business than he could bear, lest he should forget what he owed to his own soul. He always performed the divine office with great leisure, and reserved to himself every day set hours for holy meditations, in older to recruit and improve the spiritual vigor of his soul, and to cast up his accounts before God, gathering constantly resolution of more vigilance in all his actions. Grimoald, the duke of Bavaria, who, though a Christian, was a stranger to the principles and spirit of that holy religion, had incestuously taken to wife Biltrude, his brother’s relict. The saint boldly reproved them, but found them deaf to his remonstrances, and suffered many persecutions from them, especially from the princess, who once hired assassins to murder him. They both perished miserably in a short time. After their death, St. Corbinian, who had been obliged to conceal himself for some time, returned to Frisingen, and continued his labors till his happy death, which fell out in 730. His name occurs in the Roman Martyrology. See his life, with an account of many miracles wrought by him, compiled by Aribo, his third successor in the see of Frisingen, thirty years after the saint’s death, extant in Surius, Mabillon, Acta Bened. t. 3, p. 500; and The History of Frisingen, published in folio, in the year 1724. See also Bulteau, Hist. Monast de l’Occid. t. 2, Suysken the Bollandist, p. 261.