Saint Lambert of Maastricht

detail from a 15th century painting of the martyrdom of Saint Lambert of Liège; artist unknown; swiped from Wikimedia Commons Also known as

Lambert of Liege
Lamberto…
Lambertus…
Landebertus…

Memorial

17 September

Profile

Born to the nobility, the son of Aper and Herisplindis, he received a good, religious oriented education. Student of Saint Landoaldus and Saint Theodardus. Priest. Bishop of Maastricht, Netherlands in 670. Forced for political reasons into exile from Maastricht from 674 to 681. Missionary in Toxandria (modern Brabant) with Saint Willibrord of Echternach in the late 7th century. Apparently worked with Saint Wito, Saint Plechelm of Guelderland, and Saint Otger of Utrecht. With Saint Landrada, he founded the abbey of Munsterbilsen. Murdered for defending the sanctity of marriage, which was very politically inconvenient for several powerful people of the day. Martyr.

Born

c.635 at Maastricht, Netherlands

Died

stabbed through the heart by a javelin c.700 at the chapel of Saint Cosmas and Saint Damian, Liège, Belgium while celebrating Mass
buried in his family’s vault in the cemetery of Saint Peter, Maastricht, Netherlands
remains exhumed and translated to Liège c.720 by Saint Hubert of Liege