Odilo of Cluny

Saint Odilo of Cluny (ca. 962 – 1 January 1049) was the fifth Benedictine Abbot of Cluny, holding the post for around 54 years.

Early life

Odilo was descended from the nobility of Auvergne (central France). His father was named Berald, his grandfather was named Hicterius. His mother became a nun at the convent of St. John in Autun after his father died. He had eight brothers and two sisters. One of his sisters married and the other became an abbess.

When he was a child, he was partly paralyzed and he had to be carried by his family servants on a stretcher. One day while the family was travelling, they came to a church and they left Odilo with the luggage at the church door. The door was open, and little Odilo felt God was calling him to crawl to the altar. He got to the altar and tried to stand up, but failed. He tried again and finally succeeded: he was able to walk around the altar. The servants were terrified when they came back and found the boy wasn't there, but then they looked inside the church and saw him running around, completely cured.