Radulf II, Abbot of Kinloss facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Radulf
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Modern ruins of Kinloss Abbey
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| Born | Probably mid-to-late 1100s Unknown
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| Died | 2 November 1220 Kinloss
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| Other names | Radulphus |
| Occupation | Abbot |
| Title | Abbot of Kinloss |
Radulf was an important church leader in the 1200s. He was a Cistercian monk and the abbot of Kinloss Abbey in Scotland. An abbot is like the head of a monastery, which is a place where monks live and work. We don't know much about Radulf's early life. We first hear about him as the Abbot of Kinloss between 1202 and 1207. He likely became abbot after the previous abbot, also named Radulf, left in 1194.
Contents
Radulf's Journey to France
In 1214, Abbot Radulf had an important trip to make. He had to go to a big meeting in Cîteaux, France. This meeting was called the "general chapter" of the Cistercian Order. All Cistercian monasteries in Scotland had to send their abbots to this meeting every four years.
A Tricky Meal on the Road
During the journey, a lay brother was in charge of cooking for the abbots. A lay brother is a monk who does practical jobs. His job was to buy and prepare food for the group. According to a historian named Walter Bower, the cook served fish to the abbots and meat to the others. However, he used fat from the meat to cook the fish, pretending it was butter.
Monks were not allowed to eat animal meat. The abbots thought the fish was cooked with butter, so they ate it.
The Spirit's Visit
After the meal, all the abbots fell asleep, except for Radulf. He was busy meditating. In Bower's story, a spirit appeared through a window. This spirit looked like a black man. It went around the sleeping abbots, laughing at them. When the spirit reached the cook, it hugged him, kissed him, and clapped for him.
This strange sight made Abbot Radulf question the cook. The cook then admitted what he had done. He confessed that he had used meat fat on the fish. Radulf then gave him a punishment for his actions.
Later Years and Legacy
During Radulf's time as abbot, a new monastery called Deer Abbey was started. It was a "daughter house" of Kinloss, meaning it was founded by monks from Kinloss.
Abbot Radulf died on November 2, 1220. A historical record called the Chronicle of Melrose wrote about his death. It said that "Dominus Radulphus, the abbot of Kinloss, full of good days, in holy old age migrated, as we believe, from earth to heaven." This means they believed he lived a good life and went to heaven. After Radulf, Robert, who was the Abbot of Deer, became the new Abbot of Kinloss.
