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Icon of St. Majolus, Abbot of
Cluny
Feast: May
11
St.
Majolus, fleeing Muslim expansionism, took refuge at Macon and thence
was directed to study under Abbot Anthony at Lyons. He became
archdeacon at Macon and then was offered the bishopric of Besancon. He
declined it to join the monastic fathers at the lavra of Cluny. In 954,
he was named abbot-adjutant to the blind St. Aimard, who was then
abbot. He became head of Cluny and its houses in 965. The Carolingian
emperor Otto selected St. Majolus to reform the monastic houses of the
German lands. This the Saint did with moderate success. But the Muslims
re-entered the course of his life as threat and danger. They captured
the Cluniac abbot as he was crossing the St. Bernard Pass on church
business, and he had to be ransomed by the monks of Cluny for a
thousand pounds of silver. St. Majolus was offered the chair of the
papacy at Rome, several times, but he steadfastly refused the honour of
the Patriarchate. In 991 he appointed St. Odilo as his coadjutor.
Thenceforward he devoted himself to prayer and repentance. King Hugh
Capet invited him to the abbey of St.-Denis at Paris, to set the lives
of the monks there in good order, and on the journey to attend this
task, St. Majolus reposed in Christ, leaving behind a rich legacy of
liturgical excellence and profoundly ascetic life which was his
hallmark in this world. Holy Majolus, pray to God for us!
Icon by the
hand of Elisabeth Lamour.
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