Adalbert was a French "mystic" and probable fraudster who lived in the 8th century.
Adalbert boasted that an angel had conferred miraculous powers on him at his birth and that another had brought him relics of great sanctity from all parts of the earth. He also claimed to be able to see the future and read people's thoughts, telling those who came to him that they had no need to confess, since he knew what they had done, and that their sins were forgiven. His "miracles" gained him the awe of the people and he began to give away parings from his nails and locks of his hair as powerful amulets. He is even said to have set up an altar in his own name.
According to the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia, Pope Zachary held a council in 745 to deal with both Adalbert as well as bishop by the name of Clement. In it, Adalbert presented a letter from Jesus that had fallen from heaven and had been picked up by the archangel Michael in his defense. The Pope was not swayed, and both Adalbert and Clement were excommunicated. He was imprisoned for blasphemy, and died in jail. He wrote an account of his own life, but only a fragment survives.
References
- Lewis Spence, The Encyclopedia of the Occult, reprinted 1988.
- Catholic Encyclopedia: Imposters, from the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia
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