Birth. (No date found), Germany. Of a noble family. Cousin of Bishop Ulrich of Augsburg, future saint. He is also listed as Werhnero; as Werhnerus; as Vernero; as Vernerio; as Uverhner; and as Uberhnerus.

Education. Entered the Order of Saint Benedict (Benedictines) at the monastery of Fulda, probably soon after the elevation of Abbot Hatto as archbishop of Mainz.

Priesthood. Ordained (no further information found). Emperor Otto I the Great sent Abbot Agilolf of Hersfelder to Fulda, in order to affect the choice of the new abbot. The elected was Abbot Werunhar, who occupied the post from 968 until 982. In the same year of his election, the new abbot Lombardy, where the emperor was, to receive the abbatial investiture. On November 8, 969, through the petition of the emperor, he obtained a privilege for his monastery by the bull "Desiderium, quom ad"; Pope John XIII also granted the abbot of the monastery of Fulda, on request from the emperor, the primacy among all abbots of Germany and Gallia. Abbot Werinhar enjoyed the favor of Emperor Otto II no less than that of his father. On May 27, 975, Emperor Otto II visited the monastery Fulda, confirmed its privileges and gave the monastery as a donation for the salvation of the soul of his father, his possession Schlotheim of Frankenhausen in Thuringia. The abbot accompanied the emperor in his Italian campaign in 981; on May 18, 982, in Tarento, granted a privilege giving him and his monastery the interest payable by the city of Medenheim bei Northeim; in the battle of Cotrone, in southern Italy, on July 15, 982, Abbot Werinheri escaped death.

Cardinalate. Presbyter cardinalis of an unknown title or deacon cardinalis of the Holy Roman Church ca. 982. When Henry von Geisenhausen, bishop of Augsburg, died on July 14, 982, Emperor Otto II offered the see to Abbot Werinhar but the abbot declined and decided to return to Fulda but died during the trip.

Death. October 30, 982 in Lucca, Italy, during an expedition against the schismatic Greeks and the Saracens. Buried in Borgo San Donnino, near Parma.

Bibliography. Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1792, I, pt. 1, 83-84; Chacón, Alfonso. Vitæ, et res gestæ Pontificvm Romanorum et S. R. E. Cardinalivm ab initio nascentis Ecclesiæ vsque ad Vrbanvm VIII. Pont. Max. 2 volumes. Romae : Typis Vaticanis, 1677, I, col. 738; Eggs, Georgius Josephus. Purpura docta, seu, Vitae, legationes, res gestae, obitus, aliaque scitu, ac memoratu digna, &c. S.R.E. Cardinalium. Six books in three vols. Farnborough, Hants., England : Gregg International, 1970. Originally published : Francofurti : Prostant & veneunt apud Joannem Georgium König, 1714, I, 12-13; "Essai de liste générale des cardinaux. Les cardinaux des 10 premiers siècles". Annuaire Pontifical Catholique 1926. Paris : Maison de la Bonne Presse, 1927, p. 159, no. 3; Leinweber, Josef. Die Fuldaer Äbte und Bischöfe. Frankfurt am Main : Knecht, 1989, p. 33-35; Regesta pontificum Romanorum ab conditio Ecclesia. Ad annum post Christum natum MCXCVIII. Graz : Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt, 1956. 2 v. Reprint. Originally published : Lipsiae : Veit et comp., 1885-1888. Original t.p. included : Regesta pontificum Romanorum ab condita ecclesia : ad annum post Christum natum MCXCVIII. Editionem secundam correctam et auctam edidit Philippus Jaffè ; auspiciis Gulielmi Wattenbach; curaverunt S. Loewenfeld, F. Kaltenbrunner, P. Ewald, I, 475.