Godehard, Saint

Godehard, Saint bishop of Hildesheim, was boon at Ritenbach, in Bavaria, in 961. He was educated at the court of the archbishop Frederic of Salzburg. and when thirty-one years of age entered the monastery of Nieder-Altaich, and became its abbot in 997. His excellent administration of the monastery attracted the attention of the emperor Henry II, who charged him with reforming the monasteries of Hersfeld, Tegernsee, etc., and having succeeded in this task, he returned to his own monastery in 1012. When Bernward, the bishop of Hildesheim, died, he was made his successor, in 1022, and died May 5, 1038. He was canonized by Innocent III in 1131. His festival is on May 4. See Blum, Geschichte des Furstenthums Hildesheim, 2:108 sq.; Luntzel, Geschichte der Stadt und Diocese Hildesheim, page 195 sq.; Pertz, Monumenta Germ. Hist. 11:16. sq.; Wattenbach, Deutsche Geschichts-Quellen im Mittelalter, 2:1623; Uhlhorn, in Plitt-Herzog's Real-Encyclop. s.v. Paumier, in Lichtenberger's Encyclop. des Sciences Religieuses, s.v. (B.P.)