Odo of Canterbury (died 1200), also known as Odo Cantianus or Odo of Kent, was a theologian and abbot of Battle. Odo was a monk of Christ Church, who later became a subprior. He was sent by his friend Thomas Becket in 1163 to attend an appeal with

Pope Alexander III Pope Alexander III (c. 1100/1105 – 30 August 1181), born Roland ( it, Rolando), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 September 1159 until his death in 1181. A native of Siena, Alexander became pope after a con ...

against the Archbishop of York, stemming from the tensions between Becket and King Henry II.Parker, Anselm. "Odo of Canterbury." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 11. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 27 Mar. 2013
/ref> In 1173 a great fire broke out at Christ Church. After the church burned down, Odo went to the Council of Woodstock on 1 July 1175, to renew the charters of the church. Instead, he was elected abbot of Battle on 19 July 1175. Odo was known as an ardent lover of books, and a great theologian who preached in French, English, and Latin. There is some uncertainty as to his writings, owing to confusion with Odo of Cheriton and Odo of Murimund, but a list of thirteen works, chiefly writings on the Old Testament and sermons, can be ascribed to him. The origin of the expression "To Jesus through Mary" is generally attributed to

Louis Grignion de Montfort Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort (31 January 1673 – 28 April 1716) was a French Roman Catholic priest and confessor. He was known in his time as a preacher and was made a missionary apostolic by Pope Clement XI. As well as preaching, Montfort ...

. However, the idea of going through Mary to Jesus is much older, and was promoted by such authors as Ildephonse of Toledo (+667), Germanus of Constantinople (+773),

John of Damascus John of Damascus ( ar, يوحنا الدمشقي, Yūḥanna ad-Dimashqī; gr, Ἰωάννης ὁ Δαμασκηνός, Ioánnēs ho Damaskēnós, ; la, Ioannes Damascenus) or John Damascene was a Christian monk, priest, hymnographer, and a ...

(+750), et al. In Odo of Canterbury (+1200) is found a passage which is even closer to the expression attributed to Montfort. Odo says: "... one goes to Christ through Mary, one goes to the Son through the Mother. By means of the Mother of Mercy one reaches mercy itself." (Testi Mariani, ed. L. Gambero, vol. 3, 490)"The Mary Page", Univ. of Dayton
/ref> Odo died on 20 January 1200 and was buried in the lower part of the church at Battle. He was venerated at Battle as a saint. The relic list at

Canterbury Cathedral Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England. It forms part of a World Heritage Site. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, currently Justin Welby, leader of the ...

mentions "a tooth of the Ven. Odo Abb. Of Battle".

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Odo Of Canterbury 12th-century births 1200 deaths 12th-century Christian saints Medieval English saints