Erkanbert of Minden

Erkanbert of Minden (Ercumbert, Herkumbert, Herumbert) was the first bishop of Minden, from 803 to 813, and reposed on 7 June 830 at Minden. He is venerated as a saint in the Western Church; his day is the day of his death, 7 June.

He was born in the Gollachgau near Würzburg. One source says that three sisters of Bishop Erkanbert lived in the Gollachgau. According to Bosl, he and his siblings (Abbot Baugulf of Fulda, from 780 to 802, Count Wilant, Burcswint, Mahtswind and Countess Reginswind with her son Count Perahtold) belong to a large family with names in -peraht or -bert, centered in the Saalgau.

Around 790 the Fulda monk Erkanbert was named bishop for the mission district between the upper Weser and the Leine, with his center at first at the monastery of Saint Romanus at Hameln. Around 800 Charlemagne founded a bishopric at Minden, added to the metropolitan province of Cologne; the diocese included the area between Osnabrück and Hanover from west to east, and between Verden on the Aller and Holzminden on the Weser from north to south. In 803 Erkanbert is named for the first time as bishop of Minden. At that time the first cathedral church arose on the site of the present cathedral; the high altar of this and of all later cathedral churches was built over a pre-⁠Christian well sanctuary, recalled by the old name of the town.