WENRICH OF TRIER

Pamphleteer; d. Sept. 30, 1081, or 1082. The few certain facts preserved about Wenrich may be stated briefly. Nothing is known of his place of origin or birth, nor is there information on his intellectual or ecclesiastical formation. He is, however, known to have been a canon of Verdun and to have later moved to Trier, where he was head of the cathedral school. While serving in this capacity in the period between Oct. 15, 1080, and August 1081, he composed the letter or tract for which he is remembered. There are indications that he was named bishop of Vercelli by the Emperor henry iv, but there is no certainty that he was consecrated or installed, although sigebert of gembloux and the Necrology of St. Vito give him the episcopal title. Dietrich, Bishop of Verdun, To Hildebrand the Pope is the title of Wenrich's influential pamphlet (Monumenta Germaniae Historica: Libelli de lite 1:280–299). It begins, perhaps sincerely, by lamenting the sorrow caused by Pope gregory vii's too great haste and injustice. Henry IV ought to have been heard before his excommunication. Gregory's attacks on clerical marriage and on married priests' Masses subvert ecclesiastical discipline. Royal investiture (see investiture struggle) is sanctioned by Holy Scripture and by the Fathers. Clearly, the royal cause had found a stout champion in the Trier schoolmaster (see gregorian reform).

Bibliography: a. fliche, La Réforme grégorienne, 3 v. (Louvain 1924–37), Index. É. amann, Dictionnaire de théologie catholique 15.2:3528–29. a. hauck, Kirchengeschichte Deutschlands 3:828, 852.

[s. williams]