GERARD OF CAMBRAI

Theologian; b. Saxony, c. 975; d. Cambrai, March 14, 1051. After being attached to the imperial chapel and having been named bishop of Arras and Cambrai on Feb. 1, 1012, by Emperor St. Henry II (1002–24), Gerard was ordained at Nijmegen and consecrated at Reims. In loyal feudal service he accompanied Henry on several expeditions and for a while refused to enter a pact with French bishops favoring the Truce of God (see peace of god). His relations with Henry's successors were less close. He aided the monastic reform begun in Lotharingia by Gerard of Brogne (d. 959) and turned over to Richard of St. Vanne (d. 1046) some abbeys he and his brothers had supported or founded. In Arras early in 1025 Gerard learned of the arrival of some Cathari-type heretics from Italy. He brought them before a synod there and secured the retraction of their anti-sacramental and anti-ecclesial errors. He sent, with a covering letter, his long discourse and an account of the synod to a Bishop R., who was probably Roger, Bishop of Châlons-sur-Marne (d. 1042). Book 3 of the Gesta episcoporum Cameracensium (Monumenta Germaniae Historica: Scriptores 7.402–498; Patrologia latina 149:21–176) is Gerard's Vita. The Acta of the synod is printed in different editions (Mansi 19:423–460; Patrologia latina 142:1269–1312). Gerard's letters, preserved in the Vita, are reprinted in Patrologia latina 142:1313–22 and 149:159–160.

Bibliography: t. schieffer, "Ein deutscher Bischof des 11. Jahrhunderts: Gerhard I. von Cambrai (1012–1051)," Deutsches Archiv für Erforsheung des Mittelalters 1 (1937) 323–360. É. de moreau, Histoire de l'Église en Belgique, v.2 La Formation de l'Église médiévale (2d ed. Brussels 1947). h. platelle, Catholicisme 4:1867–68. h. silvestre, "À propos de 1'épithaphe de l'évêque de Liège, Durand (+ 1025)," Revue belge de philologie et d'histoire 41 (1963) 1136–45.

[j. n. garvin]