Waningus, St.
WANINGUS, ST.
Founder of the abbey of Fécamp and patron of the monastery of Ham in Picardy; b. Rouen: d. Fécamp, c. 688. Waningus (Vaneng) was count of the district of Caux, a royal chase, adviser at the court of Queen bathildis, and tutor of Clotaire III. Renouncing court life, he bequeathed land holdings for the erection of monasteries, and assisted (St.) wandrille in the founding of fontenelle (March 1, 649), which he also helped endow. He entrusted his son, Desideratus, to Wandrille to be educated as a Benedictine monk. In 658 after recovery from a severe illness he built a convent at fÉcamp. There, under the administration of Wandrille and (St.) ouen, 366 nuns were soon collected, with Childemarcha as abbess. (St.) leodegar, mutilated and expelled from his diocese, was placed in the custody of Waningus and cared for at Fécamp. Waningus is depicted clothed in armour, with a mantle of red emblazoned with a fleur-delis, and holding a sword in one hand and a church in the other. His relics (a small portion of the bones) may still be seen in the church of Ham.
Feast: Jan. 9.
Bibliography: o. l. kapsner, A Benedictine Bibliography: An Author-Subject Union List, (Collegeville, MN 1962) 2:3370–72, 4004–13, 7276–82. a. zimmermann, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche (Freiburg 1957–65) 10:750. p. cousin in L'Abbaye bénédictine de Fécamp, 4 v. (Fécamp 1959–63) 1:23–44.
[m. j. stallings]