Sts. Berno, Odo and Aymard, Benedictine Abbots of Cluny

St. Berno

After Duke William of Aquitaine founded the monastery of Cluny in ca. 908-910 A.D., he chose St. Berno to be its first abbot. St. Berno came from a wealthy family. Born in Burgundy, he joined the Benedictines at Martin's, Autun, and then became abbot of Baume-les-Messiers. He reformed Baume-les-Messiers and then founded a monastery at Gigny. As Duke William established St. Berno as Cluny's first abbot, Berno led the monastery well from ca. 909-927 A.D.

St. Odo

St. Odo was known as a reformer and was widely respected throughout Europe. He succeeded St. Berno as the second abbot of Cluny. Born near Le Mans, France, he was raised in the household of Duke William of Aquitaine. He received his tonsure at age 19, a canonry at St. Martin's at Tours, and then spent several years studying in Paris. St. Odo was a monk under St. Berno at Baume-les-Messiers. When St. Berno was transferred to Cluny, St. Odo was named director of the Baume MOnastery school. Odo eventually became abbot of Baume in 924 A.D. When St. Berno passed away, St. Odo succeeded him at Cluny. He continued St. Berno's work of reformation and was also authorized by Pope John XI to reform the monasteries of northern France and Italy. St. Odo was a peacemaker and negotiator in the politics of his time. After successfully persuading secular rulers to let monasteries be independent, he died at Tours on November 18, 942. St. Odo had written hymns, treatises, and a biographical sketch on the life of St. Gerard of Aurillac - a count who built a church and abbey at Aurillac.

St. Aymard

St. Aymard succeeded St. Odo and became the third abbot of Cluny. He worked to continue St. Odo's reforms. In 954 A.D., St. Aymard became blind and took Majolus as his coadjutor. St. Aymard eventually resigned because of his blindness and spent the last years of his life in Cluny until his death in October 5, 965 A.D.

Sources of this blog posts

• A History of the Church, by Franzen and Dolan
• A Concise History of the Catholic Church, by Thomas
  Bokenkotter
• Lives of the Saints, by Richard P. McBrien
• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney