How could you NOT love a matchup between a guy named Odo and another guy who is known as a Studite? Meet Odo of Cluny and Theodore the Studite (spoiler alert for those getting ready to leave a comment: autocorrect does not like "Studite." At all.)
Yesterday, in the most lopsided battle of Lent Madness 2017, Florence Nightingale routed Anselm of Canterbury 81% to 19%. She will move on to face Henry Beard Delany in the Saintly Sixteen.
And, finally, it's not everyday that ESPN covers that other famous bracket tournament that takes place in March. But recently ESPN radio in Louisville, Kentucky, interviewed passionate Lent Madness booster, the Rev. Katherine Doyle of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, about everyone's favorite online Lenten devotion. Take a listen as she appeared on the Bob Valvano show. It's a great segment which you can listen to by clicking here (the spot in question begins at 21:30 of the broadcast). Nice job!
Odo of Cluny
Odo was born circa 879 in France. Odo’s father Abbo secretly dedicated his son to Saint Martin, sending him to a priest for education and formation. But as Odo grew, he became a hale and hearty young man—much more suited, in his father’s opinion, to the life of a noble warrior. Abbo sent Odo to live at the court of one of the dukes of Aquitaine.
Odo recounts that while praying and singing one day in court, he was seized with a violent pain in his head. He suffered for three years until his father confessed his promise to dedicate his son to Saint Martin. Soon after, Odo received the tonsure—the practice of some monks to shave the crown of the head—and served at St. Martin’s Church in Tours.
After reading the Rule of Saint Benedict, Odo was horrified to realize how much his life (and the lives of his brother monks at Tours) deviated from the Rule. Monks at Tours discarded their habits in favor of the fashion of the day and often received gifts from noblemen in exchange for prayers. They wore expensive shoes and refused to walk outside for night prayers to avoid ruining their shoes. They ate lavish meals while ignoring the hungry.
Odo committed himself to living the Rule of Saint Benedict. He discarded his personal property, ate meager rations, and prayed fervently. He embraced the ascetic life and spoke out against the evils of the church of his time—ecclesiastical abuses, lack of prayer, and the oppression of the poor.
Odo entered the monastery at Baume where the Rule of Saint Benedict was strictly followed. Odo would eventually be appointed Abbot of Cluny. Odo visited Rome several times, negotiating peace between the violent power politics of warring nobles and the church. Monasteries in Italy and France summoned him to instill reform within their own walls.
Odo’s legacy is seen in the great age of monasteries, places where worship, care for the poor, and art flourished. His deep spirituality gives us insight into his zeal and commitment to reform holy orders. Odo died in 942 in Tours after assisting with worship on the Feast Day of Saint Martin of Tours.
Collect for Odo of Cluny
God of grace, you hear the promises we freely offer and see the hidden desires of every heart. We thank you for the example of your servant Odo, who zealously sought righteousness and lived out holy community in his life and work. Grant that we, in our own time and ways, would ever seek your will in our lives, to the honor of your son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Theodore the Studite
Theodore the Studite (759-826), also known as St. Theodore of Stoudios, was a Greek Orthodox monk. Born in 759, he grew up in a prominent bureaucratic family in Constantinople, receiving a private education that eventually came to be heavily focused around theology.
Theodore’s maternal uncle Platon encouraged the whole family to take monastic vows and transform the family farm into a monastery. Theodore, his father, and his sister joined Platon in 781 and sailed to Bithynia in northwest Asia Minor near the Black Sea. Following the guidance of the Greek bishop, Basil of Caesarea, they established a community that came to be known as the Sakkudion Monastery.
Shortly after Theodore was ordained a priest, Uncle Platon—the abbot of the Sakkudion—took a permanent vow of silence and handed control of the monastery to his nephew. Theodore did well running the Sakkudion Monastery, despite his persistent habit of denouncing the emperor’s divorce and remarriage. This led to years of exile, fights with and floggings from emperors, patriarchs, iconoclasts, and difficult popes. Ultimately, after lots of fasting, praying, and writing iambic verse about icons and clean living, Theodore revived the monastic community of Stoudios in Constantinople
Theodore built Stoudios into a major scholastic and artistic center. Under his leadership, Stoudios became known for its literary output. Theodore devised what amounted to a private mail system for the network of monasteries in and around Constantinople and wrote poems enshrining the community’s rule of life in an easy-to-remember form. Aside from his monastic innovations and reforms, Theodore is best known for two great works: the theological treatise On Holy Icons, a pivotal and foundational work for the use of icons in worship, and a letter he wrote instructing his followers not to own slaves—the first recorded Christian theological stand against slavery.
Collect for Theodore the Studite
Gracious God, who speaks to us in both the complexity of art and the quiet of simplicity, we thank you for your servant Theodore the Studite, who reminded your Church of the many ways in which you are present. Grant us, we pray, the eyes to see you wherever and whenever you appear, that we may see your glory in all your creation, and especially through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord. Amen.
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268 comments on “Odo of Cluny vs. Theodore the Studite”
My middle name is Clune as is my daughter's middle name. On top of that, it is my Dad's, brother's and nephew's first name. I have to go with Odo.
A close one but anti slavery was the tipping point. Nice to learn about two people I had never heard of.
Theodore had me on "the first recorded Christian theological stand against slavery."
Finally, an even match-up! Close in their time periods, both scholars, both monastic leaders, both reformers—and both men, since according to the comments, gender is definitely playing a role in people’s votes. I thought long and hard, and finally voted for Theodore. I’m always up for those who work to communicate with people on the people’s own terms, so I love his putting the community's rule into easy-to-remember poems. And he was forward-thinking, with his innovation of a private mail system and his strictures against slavery.
The story of Odo’s headache bothers me, though this wasn’t a factor in my vote. First, just what does it mean that his father “dedicated his son to St. Martin”? His father decided when Odo was a baby that Odo was going to be a priest? Second, since Odo didn’t know about the deal and his father was the one who reneged, why would Odo be the one to get the headaches? If anyone should have been smitten, it should have been his dad.
I was on the fence about this one, but when I got to the end of Theodore's story and read about his stance on slavery it clenched it for me! I voted for Theodore.
I voted for Odo in part because I have visited Baume-les Messieurs and like to think that I have walked the same tranquil monastery grounds as Odo if Baume of yore is today Baume-les Messieurs. The restaurant menu on the grounds is probably not practicing the Rule but it was an enjoyable meal. There is also a Baume-les Mesdames nearby.
Theodore was noted among other things for "the first recorded Christian theological stand against slavery." That's enough for me.
P.S. I looked up what Theodore actually said about slavery and found this here https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/theostud-rules.html:
"Do not obtain any slave nor use in your private service or in that of the monastery over which you preside, or in the fields, man who was made in the image of God. For such an indulgence is only for those who live in the world. For you should yourself be as a servant to the brethren like-minded with you, at least in intention, even if in outward appearance you are reckoned to be master and teacher."
So he was talking only about the monasteries. According to the sources, though, his line about "man who was made in the image of God" was a powerful statement that was later used by opponents of slavery.
Interestingly, the very next part of his letter says that the monks shouldn't have any female animals because they have renounced the female sex altogether! Okaaay, Theodore....maybe I should have looked into you and Odo a bit more in advance of my vote....
I'm with Oliver on this one for two reasons. First, the stand against slavery, and second, my father's name was Theodore (I think it's safe to assume that my mom considered him a stud).
Oh no! With all due respect to Oliver and his followers - Odo rules! I would hate to see him go in the first round. Odo fans chant: Odo! Odo! Odo!
I have cast my one heartfelt vote for this most impressive Abbott of Cluny who so justly deserves a berth in the saintly sixteen.
NB spellcheck doesn't like "Odo" either...I find that...odd.
A difficult choice but in the end went with Odo. I studied in Tours and spent many a moment in prayer at St. Martin's cathedral there. And, yes, there must surely have been VERY good wine!
Odo was born near Le Mans and he is the patron saint of rain. This person in the Pacific Northwest is taken by those two items.
With a 138% snowpack in the Cascades I think we have had enough rain.
How could you not vote for the "studite"?
I voted for Odo. I liked his name and I felt bad that he was punished for his father's lack of fealty.
The Studite was my choice, and I don't know why.
Please include the loser of this matchup in the 2018 competition. I got a severe pain in my head trying to decide how to vote. So I had to vote for Odo
I voted for Odo because of reforms in the church.
Being both pro-icon and anti-slavery, I had to go with Theodore.
Odo it is!
"Ted the Stud"! (sly chuckle) As I read and re-read the bios, they seemed of equal value, but for a few factors: understanding of icons ( some icons taken during the Russian Revolution from the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia wound up in my home church, Christ Church United Methodist, in Manhattan); making a statement against slavery; support for literature and the arts; a mail system. Also, the fun of making puns on his name.
This was a hard one. I finally chose Odo because he worked to negotiate peaceful results while Theodore bickered--receiving repeated floggings for his trouble.
Theodore takes my vote. I stand with the man who stands against slavery. Now, where can I find his treatise!
I voted for Odo because he is a good person
Odo went about changing the "power politics" among nobles and the church and was called on to bring much needed reform to monasteries far and wide. Sounds like we could use someone like him to help us get back to the basics of Christianity and government today. Plus, he figured out how to get rid of that headache!
I'm voting for Theodore because his story really touched my heart ❤️
Theodore was my choice because that is my husband's middle name, I love icons and number one reason was his stand on slavery. Even if it pertained just to the monastery, it was a start in the right direction!
Did anyone else picture George Clooney in Odo's place? Very distracting. Plus, Theo was a Stud. Sorry-these names absolutely made my day. Finally voted Theo because of his stance on slavery. .
Per George Clooney: Yep!
Theodore's voice is truly heard by me. He promoted the outpouring of the human spirit in art and poetry. In our world today, how many Christians show a love of God through time spent in contemplative creative endeavors? Ah, Wordsworth was right- "The world is too much with us late and soon... Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers..." It's Theodore for me !
I voted for Ordo because of his shoe reform. While I wear leather shoes, rather than (hu-)man-made materials kinds, I choose the ones on sale. I figure shoes are worth a vote!
oops, that would be Odo...