ODO OF CHÂTEAUROUX

French cardinal, known also as Odo de Castro Radulphi; b. Champagne c. 1208; d. Orvieto, Jan. 26, 1273. He studied at the University of Paris where he became a master in theology in 1230 and where he undoubtedly taught for some time. In 1234 he was a canon of Paris; in 1238 he was promoted to the chancellorship of the University, but resigned in order to enter the cistercians at Grandselve. Innocent IV named him to succeed jacques de vitry as cardinal bishop of Frascati in 1244, and in October 1245 he went to France as papal legate to preach the Sixth crusade. While there he condemned John of Brescia's theses on light (Dec. 21, 1247) and the Talmud (May 15, 1248). He was a great friend of King louis ix and during the Crusade (1248–54) accompanied him to Egypt and Palestine where Odo was able to pacify the quarrels of the Frankish lords. Back in Italy by 1254 he presided at Anagni (July 1255) over the commission examining the Liber introductorius in evangelium eternum written by Gerard de Borgo San Donnino, a work subsequently condemned by Alexander IV. He was sent as legate to Limoges in 1264 but lived most of the rest of his life in Italy. Many sermons and theological works are attributed to Odo. Although it is doubtful that he wrote either a commentary on Jeremiah or the Conciones et homiliae de tempore et de sanctis, he is credited with a letter written at Cyprus in 1249, which is a kind of journal of the Crusade. Odo's fame derives more from his active life than from his writings.

Bibliography: Sources. Chartularium universitatis Parisiensis 1:202–211. j. b. pitra, Analecta novissima spicilegii Solesmensis, 2 v. (Paris 1885–88) 2:188–343. f. gratien, "Sermons franciscains … ," Études franciscaines 29 (1913) 171–195, 647–655. a. walz, "Odonis de Castro Radulphi … sermones sex… ," Analecta Sacri Ordinis Praedicatorum 17 (1925–26) 174–223. m. m. davy, ed., Les Sermons universitaires … (Paris 1931). j. leclercq, "Le Sermon sur la royauté … ," Archives d'histoire doctrinale et littéraire du moyen-âge 18 (1943) 143–180. Literature. p. c. f. daunou, Histoire littéraire de la France 19:228–232. É. amann, Dictionnaire de théologie catholique 11.1:935–936. p. glorieux, Répertoire des maîtres en théologie de Paris au XIII ^e siècle 1:304–311. m. m. lebreton, Dictionnaire de spiritualité ascétique et mystique 4.2:1675–78.

[É. brouette]