Adalbert of Magdeburg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Adalbert of Magdeburg |
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Holy Card for St. Adalbert of Magdeburg
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| Archbishop of Magdeburg and Abbot of Wissembourg | |
| Born | c. 910 Alsace or Lorraine, France |
| Died | 20 June 981 (aged 70–71) Zscherben |
| Venerated in | Eastern Orthodox Church Roman Catholic Church |
| Feast | 20 June |
Adalbert of Magdeburg (born around 910, died June 20, 981) was a very important religious leader. He is sometimes called the Apostle of the Slavs. He was the first Archbishop of Magdeburg starting in 968. Adalbert was also a successful missionary. He helped spread Christianity to the Slavic people living east of what is now Germany. Later, he became a saint, and his special day is June 20.
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Who Was Adalbert?
Adalbert was born around 910. He might have been born in Alsace or Lorraine, which are parts of modern-day France. He became a monk in Germany at the Benedictine Monastery of St. Maximinus in Trier.
A Mission to Kievan Rus
In 961, Adalbert became a Roman Catholic bishop. He was sent on an important mission to Kievan Rus. This was a large area that included parts of modern-day Ukraine and Russia. Princess Olga of Kiev had asked Emperor Otto I for a missionary from the Roman Catholic Church.
However, things changed quickly. Just as Adalbert arrived, Princess Olga's son took over the rule. Adalbert's missionary friends were killed. Adalbert himself barely managed to escape. After this, Kievan Rus became Christian through missionaries from Constantinople. They became part of Byzantine Christianity.
Return to Germany
After his escape, Adalbert went to the emperor's court in Mainz, Germany. He stayed there for four years. Then, he was named Abbot of Wissembourg in Alsace. As abbot, he worked hard to improve the education of the monks.
Later, Adalbert became the first Archbishop of Magdeburg. This city is in Saxony-Anhalt, which is in modern Germany. Before starting his new role, Adalbert traveled to Rome. There, he received a special cloth called a pallium. This showed his authority as an archbishop.
Spreading Christianity
The Archdiocese of Magdeburg was created for a special purpose. It was meant to send missionaries to the Slavic people in Eastern Europe. Adalbert helped set up new church areas called dioceses. These included places like Naumburg, Meissen, and Poznań in Poland.
Adalbert died on June 20, 981. He passed away in a place called Zscherben, which is now in Germany.
Adalbert's Legacy
One of Adalbert's students was named Vojtěch Slavníkovec. When Vojtěch was confirmed, he chose to take the name Adalbert, just like his teacher. This student later became St. Adalbert of Prague. He successfully helped many Slavic people become Christian. He was later killed for his faith in Prussia and became a saint.
There is even a cemetery named after Saint Adalbert in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the United States.
