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Adalbertus MagdeburgensisThe first Archbishop of Magdeburg, missionary, historian, first Christian bishop
Date of Birth: 01.01.0910
Country:  France |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- - In 958, he took monastic vows in Trier.
- Baptism of Saint Adalbert of Prague
- - Vojtěch later became Saint Adalbert of Prague, a martyr and saint.
- Archbishop of Magdeburg
- Legacy
Early Life and Education
- In 953, Adalbert of Magdeburg entered the service of Otto I, the future Holy Roman Emperor.
- In 958, he took monastic vows in Trier.
- In 961, he was ordained as a bishop.Journey to Rus' and Mission
- In 959, the Russian princess Olga requested Otto I to send a bishop to preach Christianity in Rus'.
- In 961, Adalbert was sent to Kiev, but he was met with hostility from Olga's son, Svyatoslav, and his entourage.
- Some of Adalbert's companions were killed, and he was forced to return.
Baptism of Saint Adalbert of Prague
- On his return journey, Adalbert baptized the young Vojtěch Slavníkovec in the Czech town of Libice, giving him his own patron saint's name.
- Vojtěch later became Saint Adalbert of Prague, a martyr and saint.
Service in the German Court and as Abbot- From 963 to 965, Adalbert served at the court of Otto I's heir, Otto II.
- In 966, he became the abbot of the Alsatian monastery of Weissenburg.
- There, he wrote a significant portion of his historical work, "Continuation of Regino's Chronicle".
Archbishop of Magdeburg
- In 968, Adalbert was appointed Archbishop of Magdeburg.- He established a renowned school at the archdiocese, which educated prominent figures such as Adalbert of Prague, Bruno of Querfurt, and Thietmar of Merseburg.
Legacy
- Adalbert's feast day in the Catholic Church is celebrated on June 20.
- He is considered the first Christian bishop to have visited Rus' and played a significant role in the spread of Christianity in Central and Eastern Europe.
