olatry, and the most shameful
vices, by the zeal of St. Swidbert. St. Willibrord was ordained
archbishop of Utrecht by pope Sergius I., at Rome, in 696. St. Swidbert
was pressed by his numerous flock of converts, and by his
fellow-laborers, to receive the episcopal consecration: for this purpose
he returned to England soon after the year 697, where he was consecrated
regionary bishop to preach the gospel to infidels, without being
attached to any see, by Wilfrid, bishop of York, who happened to be then
banished from his own see, and employed in preaching the faith in
Mercia. Either the see of Canterbury was still vacant after the death of
St. Theodorus, or Brithwald, his successor, was otherwise hindered from
performing that ceremony, and St. Swidbert had probably been formerly
known personally to St. Wilfrid, being both from the same kingdom of
Northumberland. Our saint invested with that sacred character, returned
to his flock, and settled the churches which he had founded in good
order: then leaving them to the care of St. Willibrord and his ten
companions, he penetrated further into {494} the country, and converted
to the faith a considerable part of the Boructuarians, who inhabited the
countries now called the duchy of Berg, and the county of La Marck. His
apostolic labors were obstructed by an invasion of the Saxons, who,
after horrible devastations, made themselves masters of the whole
country of the Boructuarians. St. Swidbert, being at length desirous to
prepare himself for his last hour, in retirement, by fervent works of
penance, received of Pepin of Herstal the gift of a small island, formed
by different channels of the Rhine, and another river, called
Keiserswerdt, that is, island of the emperor; werdt, in the language of
that country, signifying an island. Here the saint built a great
monastery, which flourished for many ages, till it was converted into a
collegiate church of secular canons. A town, which was formed round this
monastery, bore long the name of St. Swidbert's Isle, but is now called
by the old name, Keiserswerdt, and is fortified: it is situated on the
Rhine, six miles below Dusseldorp: a channel of the Rhine having changed
its course, the place is no longer an island. St. Swidbert here died in
peace, on the 1st of March, in 713. His feast was kept with great
solemnity in Holland and other parts where he had preached. Henschenius
has given us a panegyric on him, preached on this day by Radbod,