Introduction

Biography

Theodulph was born in­to no­bi­li­ty, but de­cid­ed on a life of re­li­gious ser­vice.

His first po­si­tion was as ab­bot of a mon­as­te­ry in Flor­ence, It­aly. In 781, Char­le­magne ap­point­ed him Bi­shop of Or­lé­ans, France. However, this flour­ish­ing ca­reer came to an abrupt end with Char­le­magne’s death.

Louis the Pi­ous sus­pect­ed Theo­dulph of sec­ret loy­al­ty to po­li­ti­cal lead­ers in It­aly, the count­ry of his birth. These sus­pi­cions led to Theo­dulph’s im­pris­on­ment in An­gers in 818.

His pre­di­ca­ment is re­mi­nis­cent of Paul’s in­car­ce­ra­tion in Rome. Like Paul, Theo­dulph’s faith sus­tained him in­side cold stone walls. It was there he wrote All Glo­ry, Laud and Ho­nor, and there that he died.