Bishop Altfrid

Bishop Altfrid was related to the significant family tree of the Liudolfinger and therefore he was related to the most important families of Saxony.

He was bishop of Hildesheim from 851 to 874. He made notable marks on the diocese Hildesheim. Among other things the foundation of the “Kanonissenstifte” (women living in a convent like a nun) in Brunshausen-Gandersheim and Lamspringe as well as a construction of a new Hildesheim cathedral are dated on the bishop. But the cathedral on its part was compensated after the big fire by the so called Hezilo-cathedral.

To add to bishop Altfrid special church-state policies and pastoral activities, he compilated an anthology of texts of the church fathers and synodalconstitutions for the clericals of the diocese as well as he had the sincere sorrow about the “Vita communis” of the canons at the Hildesheim cathedral. Despite he has been an absolutely religious man, bishop Altfrid travelled around in duty of the regimen and participated in the re-creation of the kingdom.

He had proficient connections to Essen, where he founded a monastery with his own financial means in 870. The bishop was buried in the church of this monastery.

Quite early Altfrid was worshiped as a saint. Godeshard’s biographer Wolfher wrote in the middle of the 11th century about the “sanctus Altfridus”, whereas his worship was focused in Essen. The official acceptance Altfrid’s by the Roman-Cathelic church followed in 1965, his commemoration day is 16 August.