Landoald

Saint Landoald was a missionary priest in the lands of present-⁠day Belgium and reposed around 667 or 668. He was of Lombard origin, a priest at Rome. He was one of the companions whom Pope Martin I gave around 650 to Saint Amand to support him in the mission in present-⁠day Flanders, between the Meuse and the Scheldt. Landoald took over the pastoral care and served the successors of Amand, the bishops Remaclus and Theodardus of Maastricht. He is said to have been the teacher of Saint Lambert of Maastricht, whose father, Aper, gave him the estate of Wintershoven. He also enjoyed the favor of King Childeric II of Austrasia. In 659 he founded, perhaps with the help of these gifts, a small wooden church dedicated to Saint Peter at Wintershoven. His disciple Adrian was murdered while going to the court at Maastricht to gather alms; Landoald died shortly after.

He was buried at Wintershoven, with his companions. In the 8th century Bishop Floribert of Liège raised their relics to the honor of the altars, which then amounted to canonization. Later, for fear of Norman invasions, they were buried again. In 980 Bishop Notger of Liège allowed their transfer to the abbey of Saint Bavo at Ghent, founded by Amand. In 1984 the shrine at Ghent was opened and examined. He is commemorated on 19 March. He is honored as a saint of the undivided Church.