St. William of Paris, Abbot and Reformer
On April 6, we celebrate the feast of St. William of Paris (also known as St. William of Eskilsoe, Saint William of Æbelholt, and St. William of the Paraclete). Known for his holiness and austerity, he was the Abbot of Eskiloe (a city in Denmark which once housed an abbey) and one of the most venerated saints of Denmark. William (1105 - 1203) was born in Paris of a noble French family. He was educated by the monks of Saint-Germain-des-Pres under the direction of his Uncle Hugh, the abbot. From there, he was received by the chapter of secular canons of St. Genevieve. This was already a venerable college of canons, having been founded by King Clovis and St. Choltide in the 6th Century. But it had grown decadent and in great need of reform. In fact, his fellow canons were so hostile to William and his disciplined way of life that he had to leave and relocate to Epinay, outside of Paris. Pope Eugene III visited the abbey in 1148, discovering its poor state. The refo...
