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Odo (St.) of Kent (or Cantianus)

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Odo (St.) Of Kent (Or Cantianus),

an English prelate, was born in the province of East Anglia about 875. His parents were Danes, who had followed Ingar and Hubba in their expedition. Driven away from the parental home on account of his conversion to the Christian faith, Odo was protected by Athelm, one of the lords of the court of Alfred, king of England, who furnished him means to study and to enter the Church. He took him with him to Rome in 897, and Odo was there ordained priest. After his return to England, he was employed by Alfred and by Edward, his son and successor, on several important missions. King Athelstan appointed him his chaplain, and about 930 made him bishop of Wilton. Edmund I, who succeeded his brother Athelstan in 941, prized so highly the advice of Odo that, in order to have him always near, he appointed him archbishop of Canterbury in 942. Odo now became a Benedictine, as at that time the diocese was always governed by men belonging to: some monastic order. In 955 he crowned at Kingston Edwy, the eldest son of Edmund. This was the time when the first Sacramentarians, who rejected the doctrine of the real presence, appeared in England. Odo strenuously opposed them. He excommunicated king Edwy, some say for holding to these opinions, others say for incest. The Mercians and Northumbrians, tired of the excesses of Edwy, rose against him, and appointed his brother Edward in his place. Edward governed by the advice of Odo, who is said to have been the originator of many good and useful laws. Odo died at Canterbury July 4, 961, and was buried in the cathedral. He wrote Synodal Constitutions, published in Labbe's Collection, of Councils (vol. ix), together with a letter of the archbishop to his suffragans. Pits considers him the author of some other works, which are not now extant. Wright says: "It would be difficult to clear entirely the writings of Odo of Kent from the confusion in which they have been involved by ascribing to him books written by other persons of the name of Odo; but they seem to have consisted chiefly of commentaries on the Holy Scriptures and of sermons." See Dom Geillier Hist. des auteurs Ecclesiastes 20:97 sq.; Acta Sanctorum, July 4; Godescard, Vies des Peres, des Martyrs, etc., Mabillon, Annales ordinis S. Benedicti (5th century); Wright, Biog. Britannica Litteraria (A.-S. Period.), p. 428 sq.; Hill, English Monasticisnm, p. 155 sq.; Churton, Early English Ch. Hist. p. 227; Collier, Eccl. Hist. of Britain (see Index in vol. viii); Hook, Ecclesiastes Biog. 7:452; Bossuet, Variations, 1:158-9.