Saint Chlodulf (Clodulphe or Clodould) (605 – June 8, 696 or 697, others say May 8, 697) was bishop of Metz approximately from 657 to 697.

Life

Chlodulf was the son of

Arnulf Arnulf is a masculine German given name. It is composed of the Germanic elements ''arn'' "eagle" and ''ulf'' "wolf". The ''-ulf, -olf'' suffix was an extremely frequent element in Germanic onomastics and from an early time was perceived as a mere ...

, bishop of Metz, and the brother of

Ansegisel Ansegisel (c. 602 or 610 – murdered before 679 or 662) was the younger son of Saint Arnulf, bishop of Metz. Life He served King Sigebert III of Austrasia (634–656) as ''domesticus''. He was killed sometime before 679, slain in a feud by his ...

, mayor of the palace of Austrasia. Before his ordination Chlodulf had married an unknown woman and had begotten a son called Aunulf. In 657, he became bishop of Metz, the third successor of his father, "despite a reputation for impiety in his youth".Halsall, Guy. ''Settlement and Social Organization: The Merovingian Region of Metz''
Cambridge University Press, 2002, , p. 16 He held that office for 40 years. During this time he richly decorated the cathedral St. Stephen. He also was in close contact with Saint

Gertrude of Nivelles Gertrude of Nivelles, OSB (also spelled ''Geretrude'', ''Geretrudis'', ''Gertrud''; c. 628 – 17 March 659) was a seventh-century abbess who, with her mother Itta, founded the Abbey of Nivelles, now in Belgium. Life Family and childhood The ea ...

, sister to his brother's wife,

Begga Saint Begga (also Begue, Begge) (b. 613 – d. 17 December 693 AD) was the daughter of Pepin of Landen, mayor of the palace of Austrasia, and his wife Itta of Metz. She is also the grandmother of Charles Martel, who is the grandfather of Charlem ...

. He died in Metz and was buried in the church of St. Arnulf. In Nivelles he was locally venerated as Saint Clou, especially because of his connection to Saint Gertrude. His Feast Day is June 8.

Butler's account

The hagiographer Alban Butler (1710–1773) wrote in his ''Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Other Principal Saints'' under June 8,

References

Sources

* {{Carolingians footer 690s deaths Pippinids 7th-century Frankish bishops Bishops of Metz 605 births 7th-century Frankish saints