Aibert (or Aybert) of Crespin, (also Aibert of Tournai) was a Benedictine monastic and hermit revered for his intense life of prayer,

asceticism Asceticism (; from the el, ἄσκησις, áskesis, exercise', 'training) is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their p ...

and devotion to Mary. His biography was written by a contemporary, Robert, Archdeacon of Oostrevand.

Life

Aibert was born in 1060 in the village of Espain in the

Diocese of Tournai The Diocese of Tournai is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Belgium. The diocese was formed in 1146, upon the dissolution of the Diocese of Noyon & Tournai, which had existed since the 7th Century. It is ...

, in present-day Belgium. His father was a knight, Aldbald of Espen, near Tournai. Baring-Gould, Sabine. ''The lives of the saints'', London, John Hodges. 1873
/ref> Aibert fasted frequently, eating only bread or an apple when working in the fields.Butler 1866, 71 Moved by a wandering minstrel singing a lament about

Theobald of Provins Theobald of Provins, O.S.B. Cam. (french: Saint Thibaut, Thibault, Thiébaut) (1033–1066) was a French hermit and saint. He was born at Provins to the French nobility, his father being Arnoul, Count of Champagne.François Verdier, ''Saints de ...

, Aibert began to live a life of asceticism under the direction of a hermit named John who lived in a wood near

Crespin Abbey Crespin Abbey (french: Abbaye de Crespin) was a Benedictine monastery in the commune of Crespin in the department of Nord, France, founded around 648 by the reformed brigand Landelin of Crespin, also the first abbot, and dissolved in 1802. Fo ...

. While Aibert and John shared a single cell, they survived primarily on uncooked herbs and, occasionally, bread. "They chose to eat neither foods of animal origins, nor foods that had been cooked."Roberts, Holly. ''Vegetarian Christian Saints'', Anjeli Press, 2004, p. 189
/ref> Aibert joined the abbot on a pilgrimage to Rome, and upon his return in 1090, entered the monastery, becoming a Benedictine. He spent twenty-five years at Crespin Abbey, being selected as provost and cellarer.Bunson, Matthew et al., ''Our Sunday Visitor's Encyclopedia of Saints'', Huntington, Indiana. OSV, 2003, p. 50 Aibert was known for his veneration of the

Blessed Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother o ...

and is reported to have said 150

Hail Mary The Hail Mary ( la, Ave Maria) is a traditional Christian prayer addressing Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical passages featured in the Gospel of Luke: the Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary (the Annunciation) and Mary's ...

s daily, 100 with

genuflexions Genuflection or genuflexion is the act of bending a knee to the ground, as distinguished from kneeling which more strictly involves both knees. From early times, it has been a gesture of deep respect for a superior. Today, the gesture is common ...

and 50 with prostrations. (At that time, the Hail Mary consisted of: "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.") In 1115, Aibert was allowed to return to the solitary life of a hermit. Aibert built a hermitage in the wilderness and was sought out by those seeking spiritual advice and healing. Sometime after returning to the wilderness, Aibert was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Burchard of Cambrai.Butler 1866, 72 Aibert is noted to have said two Masses each day, one for the living and one for the dead.Monks of Ramsgate. "Aibert". ''Book of Saints'', 1921. CatholicSaints.Info. 13 May 2012
/ref> He died in 1140 at the age of 80. His

feast day The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context d ...

is April 7.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aibert 12th-century Christian saints 12th-century Christian mystics Belgian Roman Catholic saints Belgian hermits Belgian Benedictines Benedictine mystics 1060 births 1140 deaths Raw foodists