Rieul of Reims

Rieul was bishop of Reims in the second half of the seventh century and is venerated as a saint in the old tradition of the Church of Reims. The Russian calendars commemorate him on 3 September. Two portraits of him have come down to us, and they do not fit together easily: one from the Church's tradition and one from the histories of the time.

According to the chronicler Flodoard, Rieul, also called Regulus, Réol or Réal, had been married to Amathilde, a daughter of King Childeric II, who bore him many children. Widowed, he founded a monastery at Hautvillers in 662. After the death of Bishop Nivard he became head of the see of Reims, in 669 or 673 depending on the source. Tradition says that he governed for twenty-⁠six years, protected monastic life and enlightened the people of the region. The founding of a monastery at Orbais is attributed to him. He is last mentioned as bishop of Reims in the year 689, and his successor, in 695, was Saint Rigobert.

The historical sources, however, show a bishop caught up in the struggles for power in the Frankish kingdom. He took the side of Ebroin, with Praejectus, Agilbert of Paris and Ouen of Rouen. The bishops of this party held a council at Marly, near Paris, which sat in judgment on Leodegar. After their defeat at the Battle of Lucofao, in late 679 or early 680, the Austrasian dukes Martin and Pepin of Herstal fled the field. Martin withdrew to Laon. Rieul and one Agilbert lured him to Ecry on the pretext of negotiations with King Theuderic III, swearing upon reliquaries that Martin did not know were empty. Trusting them, Martin went to Ecry, where he and his companions were killed.

The two accounts cannot be reconciled from the sources we have, and we give both. The year of his death is reckoned as 695 or 698, and 3 September is the day of his commemoration.