Celtic and Old English Saints 21 July =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= * St. Arbogast of Strasbourg =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
St. Arbogast of Strasbourg, Bishop ------------------------------------------------ Born in Aquitaine, France; died c. 678. Although the Irish and Scottish both claim Arbogast as their own, the 13th-century Chronicle of Sens by Richer and the Life of Saint Florentius, his successor, strongly support the claim of Scotland. His acta, however, tell us that Arbogast was born of a noble family in Aquitaine, France. His vita, attributed to Bishop Utone of Strasbourg (died 965), tells us that Arbogast was living as a recluse in the Sacred Forest (Heiligesforst or Haguenau) of Alsace when King Dagobert took an interest in him. The holy hermit was often called to court to share his wisdom with the king, who, about 630, forced on Arbogast the see of Strasbourg. Shortly after his consecration, Arbogast raised Dagobert's son Sigebert to life when he had been killed by a fall from his horse. Many other miracles are ascribed to the saint, but he was loved and famed for humility and wisdom. Because of the king's affection for the bishop, the see was endowed with several large estates, including Rufach and the old royal palace of Isenburg. Arbogast founded or endowed several monasteries, including Surbourg, Shutteran, and possibly Ebersheimmunster (although Saint Odilia's father, Adalric, and Bishop Saint Deodatus of Nevers are the principal founders of this last one). Apparently Saint Arbogast retired before his death, because the year before Dagobert offered the see of Strasbourg to Saint Wilfrid, who was on his way to Rome to challenge the division of his see. When Wilfrid declined, Saint Florentius was consecrated. At Arbogast's request, he was interred on a mountain in the place set apart for the burial of criminals. The church of Saint Michael was built over his tomb and Saint Arbogast's Abbey rose nearby. His second successor translated his body with honour into the abbey church. A church was built in his honour in 1069, but it was destroyed by the Protestants in 1530. His relics were scattered during the Thirty Years War (Benedictines, Encyclopaedia, Farmer, Husenbeth). In art, Saint Arbogast is a bishop walking dryshod over a river, sometimes with Saint Sebastian (Roeder). He is the patron of Strasbourg, but his feast is also kept in several Swiss cantons (Farmer). Sources: ======== Benedictine Monks of St. Augustine Abbey, Ramsgate. (1947). The Book of Saints. NY: Macmillan. Encyclopaedia of Catholic Saints. (1966). Philadelphia: Chilton Books. Farmer, D. H. (1997). The Oxford Dictionary of Saints. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Husenbeth, Rev. F. C., DD, VG (ed.). (1928). Butler's Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Other Principal Saints. London: Virtue & Co. Roeder, H. (1956). Saints and Their Attributes, Chicago: Henry Regnery. For All the Saints: http://users.erols.com/saintpat/ss/ss-index.htm These Lives are archived at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celt-saints *****************************************
