Eraclus

Eraclus, alternatively Eraclius or Evraclus, was the 25th bishop of Liège (959–971).[1]

Eraclus
Bishop of Liège
Diocese	Liège
See	Saint Lambert's Cathedral, Liège
Elected	959
Predecessor	Baldrick I
Successor	Notker of Liège
Orders
Consecration	21 August 959
Personal details
Died	27–28 October 971
Buried	Church of St Martin, Liège

Life

Educated by Rathier, Eraclus served as dean of Bonn, before being elected bishop of Liège with the support of Bruno of Cologne. He was consecrated on 21 August 959. While bishop he founded two collegiate churches, St Paul's (which later became Liège Cathedral) and St Martin's. He had a particular devotion to Martin of Tours, attributing to that saint a healing he had experienced.

Eraclus placed strong emphasis on the importance of scholarship, laying the foundations for Liège becoming an international centre of learning.

In 968 he accompanied Emperor Otto I to Italy, and on 22 December rallied the emperor's panic-stricken army during an unexpected total solar eclipse.[2]

Eraclus died on 27 or 28 October 971 and was buried in the church of St Martin that he had founded.

Writings

• A letter to his teacher, Rathier
• An account of his healing by the intercession of St Martin of Tours

References

1. Alphonse Le Roy, "Eracle", Biographie Nationale de Belgique, vol. 6 (Brussels, 1878), 616–620.
2. Hubert Silvestre, "Eracle", Biographie Nationale de Belgique, vol. 44 (Brussels, 1985), 446–459.