Norbert

(c. 1080–1134)

   Saint, Archbishop and Order Founder.

   Norbert was born in Xanten, Germany, and he led a worldly life until he had a conversion experience at the age of thirty-five. He was then ordained as a priest and, after an unsuccessful attempt at reforming his brother Canons in Xanten, he became an itinerant preacher. In 1120 he founded a community in Prémontré in Northern France which was to become the Premonstratensian Order. The order was formally recognised by Pope Honorius II in 1126 and Norbert himself was appointed Archbishop of Magdeburg in the same year. The Premonstratensians follow an austere version of the Augustinian Rule and, known as the ‘White Canons’ or ‘Norbertians’, they quickly spread throughout Europe. They were dedicated to preaching and to parish work and still survive, in greatly depleted numbers, to this day. Norbert himself was a friend of St bernard of clairvaux; he was much respected as a clerical reformer and he ended his life as Chancellor of Italy. He was canonised in 1582.

   O. Praem, St Norbert (1886).