Boso of Merseburg
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (March 2024) |
Boso of Merseburg (died 1 November 970) was the first Bishop of Merseburg in Saxony-Anhalt, and "Apostle of the Wends."
Boso, a native of Bavaria, was a Benedictine monk of Saint Emmeram's in Regensburg, from where he was summoned to the court of Otto I, who, considering the conversion of the lately subjugated Wends indispensable to the security of the German Empire, sent Boso to convert them to Christianity. In the beginning Boso's mission appeared useless, because of the hatred of the Wends for the Germans who had deprived them of their liberty. Boso however studied their language in order to preach to them in their own tongue, and gradually gained their trust and respect.
In 967 or 968, Boso was able to provide for the creation of three new bishoprics based at Merseburg, Meissen and Zeitz. He chose Merseburg as his own bishopric; Hugo, another Benedictine monk, became Bishop of Zeitz, and Burchard, of Meissen. All three were consecrated on Christmas Day 968, by their metropolitan, Adalbert of Magdeburg. Boso continued his missionary labours, but died on a visit to his native Bavaria. He was succeeded by Gisilher.
References
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Ott, Michael (1907). "Boso". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 2. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- Articles needing additional references from March 2024
- All articles needing additional references
- Use dmy dates from June 2023
- Articles incorporating a citation from the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia with Wikisource reference
- Articles incorporating text from the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia with Wikisource reference
- Pages using S-rel template with ca parameter
- Articles with VIAF identifiers
- Articles with GND identifiers
- Articles with DTBIO identifiers
- People from Bavaria
- Roman Catholic bishops of Merseburg
- 10th-century German bishops
- German Benedictines
- German Roman Catholic missionaries
- 970 deaths
- Year of birth unknown