The Supreme Pontiff, in whom is vested the highest authority, at once replied that his command was sufficient permission, and he ordered him to set out obediently without any qualm of conscience, saying: “If I am free to transfer the abbot Petronax himself to any other place, then certainly he has no permission or power to oppose my wishes.” And so Willibald replied on the spot that he would willingly carry out his wishes and commands, not only there but anywhere in the world, whereever he had a mind to send him. He then pledged himself to go in accordance with his wishes without any further delay. After this, the discussion being ended, Willibald departed at Easter¬time, reaching his journey’s end on the Feast of St. Andrew. Tidbercht, however, remained behind at St. Benedict’s.
He went to Lucca, where his father was buried, and thence to the city of Pavia, from there to Brescia and thence to a place which is called Garda. Then he came to Duke Odilo and stayed a week with him, and thence to Suitgar, with whom he also stayed a week. Suitgar and Willibald left there for Linthard, where St. Boniface was, and St. Boniface sent them to Eichstatt to see how they li’ked the place.
The church of St. Mary
Suitgar handed over the territory there to St. Boniface for the redemption of his soul, and St. Boniface passed it on to our bishop Willibald. At that time it was all waste land-there was not a single house there and the only building was the church of St. Mary, which still stands, smaller than the other church which Willibald afterwards built on the site.
When Willibald and Suitgar had remained together at Eichstatt for some little time, they explored and surveyed the ground and eventually chose a site suitable for a house. After that they went to St. Boniface at Freising and stayed with him until all of them returned once more to Eichstatt. There St. Boniface ordained Willibald to the priestly digmty. The day on which Willibald was ordained was 22 July, the Feast of St. Apollinaris and St. Mary Magdalen.
After a whole year had passed, St. Boniface commanded him to come to him at once in Thuringia. And the venerable man of God, Willibald, set off at once for Thuringia and dwelt as a guest in the house of his brother St. Wynnebald, who had not seen him for the past eight and a half years since he had parted from him in Rome. And they were glad to see each other and congratulated each other on their meeting. It was then the season of autumn when Willibald came to Thuringia.
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