Godfrey of Amiens, St.
GODFREY OF AMIENS, ST.
Bishop, abbot; b. near Soissons, France, mid-11th century; d. Saint-Crépin Abbey, near Soissons, Nov. 8,1115. At the age of five, Godfrey entered the Benedictine abbey of Mont-Saint-Quentin; he was later professed and ordained there. Despite the opposition of the previous superior, Godfrey was elected abbot of Nogent-sous-Coucy, a small house in Champagne that prospered under his rule. He was elected bishop of Amiens in 1104, partly because he was so adept in business affairs. Godfrey's successor at Nogent, guibert, praised Godfrey's career as abbot but suggested that as bishop his promise was greater than his performance. Godfrey's severity made him unpopular. Attempting to resign his see, he retired to La Grande Chartreuse. Despite the opposition of his clergy and people, he was summoned back to Amiens by his archbishop but died within the year. During the gregorian reform, he was particularly zealous in combating the prevalent evil of simony
Feast: Nov. 8.
Bibliography: godfrey of amiens, Letters, Patrologia Latina (Paris 1878–90) 162:683,735–748. Acta Sanctorum, Nov. 3:889–944. c. brunel, "Les Actes faux de l'abbaye de Saint-Valery," Moyen-âge 22 (1909) 179–196. j. l. baudot and l. chaussin, Vies des saints et des bienheureux selon l'ordre du calendrier avec l'historique des fêtes (Paris 1935–56) 11:274–278.
[e. j. kealey]