Wulfram of Sens

Saint Wulfram of Sens (Vulfran, Wolfran), archbishop of Sens, born about 640 and died 20 March 703, is known as a missionary among the Frisians. His life was written eleven years after his death by the monk Jonas of Fontenelle.

He was born in the diocese of Meaux, near Fontainebleau, the son of the knight Fulbert of the court of King Dagobert I. He was brought up at the court of Clovis II and showed a gift for learning. He took holy orders and was called to the court of Theodoric III of Neustria; in 692 (by other dates 682) he was elected archbishop of Sens. In 695 he gave up the see and withdrew to the monastery of Fontenelle (Saint-⁠Wandrille) on the Seine.

From there, helped by monks of the monastery, he laboured to enlighten the Frisians. According to the narrative of his life, he baptised the son of King Radbod and saved from the gallows a man named Ovon, who became a monk and then a priest at Fontenelle. Radbod was ready to receive baptism, but when he learned that his idolatrous ancestors would not be in paradise, he chose to remain as he was. Wulfram returned to Fontenelle, where he died. His body was laid first in the chapel of Saint Paul, then in the main church (704), and in 1058 it was moved to Abbeville, to the church of Our Lady, which took his name; the translation is remembered on 15 October. He is invoked against the dangers of the sea. He is a saint of the undivided Church, commemorated on 20 March (new style; 2 April in the old style).