Bricius de Douglas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bricius |
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|---|---|
| Bishop of Moray | |
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| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| See | Diocese of Moray |
| In Office | 1203–1222 |
| Predecessor | Richard |
| Successor | Andreas de Moravia |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | 1203 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12th century Probably Lanarkshire, Scotland |
| Died | Moray, 1222 |
| Previous post | Prior of Lesmahagow |
Bricius (sometimes called Brice) was an important church leader in Scotland. He was first a Prior of Lesmahagow (a leader in a monastery). Later, he became the Bishop of Moray (a high-ranking church official). He lived in the 12th and 13th centuries.
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Who Was Bricius?
The name Bricius was often a Latin way of saying Gaelic names like Máel Brigte or Gilla Brigte. These names mean "devotee of St. Brigit". So, Bricius might not have been his original name. Some records call him Bricius Douglas. This suggests he was part of the powerful Douglas family. His father might have been William de Dufglas. Bricius had five brothers. Four of them also became church officials in the Moray area. His oldest brother, Archibald of Douglas, took over the family lands in Lanarkshire.
Becoming a Bishop
Bricius became the Bishop of Moray in 1203. We don't know all the details of how he got this important job. Earlier bishops were chosen by the king, William the Lion. But there's no proof that King William chose Bricius. Instead, a powerful family called the de Moravias might have helped him.
In 1206, Pope Innocent III gave Bricius permission to move the main church office (called the "see") of Moray. It moved from Birnie to Spynie. This move was probably finished by 1208. The bishopric later moved again to Elgin Cathedral in Elgin. This happened when Andreas de Moravia became bishop after Bricius.
An Important Leader
Bricius was one of the most important church leaders in Scotland during his time. This was during the reigns of King William the Lion (1165–1214) and King Alexander II (1214–1249).
For example, in 1207, Pope Innocent III chose Bricius to settle a disagreement. This was between Melrose Abbey and the Earl of Dunbar. These were two very important landowners in Scotland.
In 1215, Bricius traveled to Rome. He was one of three Scottish bishops to attend the Fourth Council of the Lateran. This was a very important meeting for the church. He went back to Rome in 1218. This time, he was part of a group of three Scottish bishops. They went to ask Pope Honorius III to lift a punishment on King Alexander II. The whole Kingdom of Scotland had been punished by the church. Bricius said he had not performed church duties during this punishment.
Challenges and Later Life
Later in his time as bishop, Bricius faced some problems. Church records show that other church officials reported his behavior. They said he might not have followed all the church rules correctly. They also said he might have taken payments without doing the proper visits.
On January 30, 1219, Pope Honorius III asked three abbots to look into these claims. The results of this investigation are not known.
Bricius died in 1222. After his death, Andreas de Moravia became the new Bishop of Moray.
Not a Saint!
Some old stories might mention "St. Brice" and seem to refer to this bishop. However, this is almost certainly a mistake. They are likely confusing him with St. Brice, Archbishop of Tours. That St. Brice was a different church leader who lived much earlier in France. He was a student of Saint Martin of Tours.
