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Saint Gangulphus of Burgundy (died May 11, 760 AD) is venerated as a
martyr A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an externa ...
by the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
. Gangulphus was a Burgundian
courtier A courtier () is a person who attends the royal court of a monarch or other royalty. The earliest historical examples of courtiers were part of the retinues of rulers. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the official r ...
whose historical existence can only be attested by a single document: a deed from the court of
Pepin the Short the Short (french: Pépin le Bref; – 24 September 768), also called the Younger (german: Pippin der Jüngere), was King of the Franks from 751 until his death in 768. He was the first Carolingian to become king. The younger was the son of ...
dated 762. It attests that he was a great landowner, whose family dominated the region and exercised a lot of power.Alessandro Barbero
/ref> Gangulphus decided to renounce his wealth and become a
hermit A hermit, also known as an eremite (adjectival form: hermitic or eremitic) or solitary, is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions. Description In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Ch ...
. Even so, he was subsequently killed by his wife's lover, who wished to remove Gangulphus as a possible interference to the
adulterous Adultery (from Latin ''adulterium'') is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal ...
relationship.


Legend

Born to one of the most illustrious families of Burgundy, his education was provided by his parents, who were virtuous Christians. As a youth, Gangulphus was known for his great honesty, chastity, and propriety, and visited churches and read religious texts, avoiding the company of
libertine A libertine is a person devoid of most moral principles, a sense of responsibility, or sexual restraints, which they see as unnecessary or undesirable, and is especially someone who ignores or even spurns accepted morals and forms of behaviour ob ...
s. When his parents died, he became a model landowner, taking care of the household economy with ease and industry and also providing for the churches and the poor on his land. When it came time to marry, he chose a woman who did not share his virtues. As an important nobleman, Gangulphus participated in the wars of the time, but also dedicated himself to preaching the
Gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
in
Frisia Frisia is a cross-border cultural region in Northwestern Europe. Stretching along the Wadden Sea, it encompasses the north of the Netherlands and parts of northwestern Germany. The region is traditionally inhabited by the Frisians, a West Ger ...
. On a journey back to Burgundy, he found a property at Bassigny upon which stood a fountain that issued fresh and good water. Gangulphus bought the property. However, his friends mocked him because this property's fountain would not serve back at home. However, when Gangulphus returned home, he pushed a stick into the soil. The next day, he instructed his servant to pull the stick out of the soil. Out of the soil emerged a new fountain, from which gushed fresh water. During his absence, his wife had committed adultery with a
priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...
. His wife protested her innocence, but Gangulphus wished her innocence to be judged by
God In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...
. Thus, he had her dip her hand into the very same source of water he had created on his property. His wife’s hand was completely and miraculously scalded by the water. Gangulphus was fairly lenient: he forbade his wife from ever sharing his marriage bed and also ordered the priest to go abroad. Gangulphus meanwhile withdrew to his castle at
Avallon Avallon () is a Communes of France, commune in the Yonne Departments of France, department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in central-eastern France. Name Avallon, Latin ''Aballō'', ablative ''Aballone'', is ultimately derived from Gaulish languag ...
, near
Vézelay Vézelay () is a commune in the department of Yonne in the north-central French region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. It is a defensible hill town famous for Vézelay Abbey. The town and its 11th-century Romanesque Basilica of St Magdalene are de ...
, performing works of
penance Penance is any act or a set of actions done out of Repentance (theology), repentance for Christian views on sin, sins committed, as well as an alternate name for the Catholic Church, Catholic, Lutheran, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox s ...
and
charity Charity may refer to: Giving * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing * Ch ...
. However, his wife soon had her lover return. Hurrying back, the priest, wishing to
decapitate Decapitation or beheading is the total separation of the head from the body. Such an injury is invariably fatal to humans and most other animals, since it deprives the brain of oxygenated blood, while all other organs are deprived of the i ...
Gangulphus, attacked the saint as he slept. However, the priest missed and injured Gangulphus'
thigh In human anatomy, the thigh is the area between the hip (pelvis) and the knee. Anatomically, it is part of the lower limb. The single bone in the thigh is called the femur. This bone is very thick and strong (due to the high proportion of bone ...
. The wound, however, proved to be fatal and Gangulphus received the
Last Sacraments A last is a mechanical form shaped like a human foot. It is used by shoemakers and cordwainers in the manufacture and repair of shoes. Lasts typically come in pairs and have been made from various materials, including hardwoods, cast iron, an ...
on May 11, 760. The priest fled the country with Gangulphus' wife.San Gengolfo
/ref> Purported
miracle A miracle is an event that is inexplicable by natural or scientific lawsOne dictionary define"Miracle"as: "A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divin ...
s soon took place at Gangulphus' tomb. Both his wife and the priest soon suffered illnesses and died.


Veneration

Gangulphus'
relics In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tangi ...
were translated to
Varennes-sur-Amance Varennes-sur-Amance (, literally ''Varennes on Amance'') is a commune in the Haute-Marne department in north-eastern France. Between 1972 and 2012 it was part of the commune Terre-Natale. It was the place of birth of novelist and critic Marcel ...
in the
diocese of Langres The Roman Catholic Diocese of Langres (Latin: ''Dioecesis Lingonensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Langres'') is a Roman Catholic diocese comprising the ''département'' of Haute-Marne in France. The diocese is now a suffragan in ecclesiastical p ...
, where his cult developed, and later distributed to various places in
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, the
Low Countries The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...
and
Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
. Gangulphus' name is found in numerous
martyrologies A martyrology is a catalogue or list of martyrs and other saints and beatification, beati arranged in the calendar order of their anniversaries or feasts. Local martyrologies record exclusively the custom of a particular Church. Local lists were ...
of the 10th and 11th centuries, in France as well as in Germany, and later in
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
and
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
. His ''Life'' was probably written at Varennes. Hrosvit of Gandersheim wrote a version of his life around 960. Some of his
relics In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tangi ...
, consisting of part of his head, can be found at the Gangolfskirche in
Bamberg Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main. The town dates back to the 9th century, when its name was derived from the nearby ' castle. C ...
. The Gangolfskirche in
Hollfeld Hollfeld is a town in the district of Bayreuth, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 20 km west of Bayreuth, and 30 km east of Bamberg. Sport The towns association football club, ASV Hollfeld, experienced its greatest success in 2012 ...
developed as a daughter church of the Bamberger church. On the Milseburg, in the
Rhön Mountains The Rhön Mountains () are a group of low mountains (or ''Mittelgebirge'') in central Germany, located around the border area where the states of Hesse, Bavaria and Thuringia come together. These mountains, which are at the extreme southeast end o ...
, rises a Gangolfkapelle, as well as at
Wolpertswende Wolpertswende is a town in the district of Ravensburg (district), Ravensburg in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. World heritage site It is home to one or more prehistoric Stilt house, pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements that are part of the ...
in
Upper Swabia Upper Swabia (german: Oberschwaben or ) is a region in Germany in the federal states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria.''Brockhaus Enzyklopädie.'' 19. Auflage. Band 16, 1991, p. 72. The name refers to the area between the Sw ...
and at
Fladungen Fladungen is a town in the Rhön-Grabfeld district, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the Rhön Mountains, 11 km northwest of Ostheim, 20 km west of Meiningen, and 33 km east of Fulda. It is the northernmost town in Bavaria ...
in northern
Franconia Franconia (german: Franken, ; Franconian dialect: ''Franggn'' ; bar, Frankn) is a region of Germany, characterised by its culture and Franconian dialect (German: ''Fränkisch''). The three administrative regions of Lower, Middle and Upper Fr ...
. There is also a Sankt Gangloff in
Thuringia Thuringia (; german: Thüringen ), officially the Free State of Thuringia ( ), is a state of central Germany, covering , the sixth smallest of the sixteen German states. It has a population of about 2.1 million. Erfurt is the capital and larg ...
. Gangulphus became also associated with the spot now occupied by the area known as
Saint-Gingolph Saint-Gingolph is a small town situated on the south bank of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman). It sits at the France–Switzerland border and is administratively divided into Saint-Gingolph, Valais (Switzerland) and Saint-Gingolph, Haute-Savoie (France). I ...
, where he is said to have dedicated himself as a hermit to a life of prayer and penance. Local legends confused Gangulphus with a hypothetical soldier of the
Theban Legion The Theban Legion (also known as the Martyrs of Agaunum) figures in Christian hagiography as a Roman legion from Egypt—"six thousand six hundred and sixty-six men"—who converted en masse to Christianity and were martyred together in 286, acc ...
who escaped from nearby
Agaunum Agaunum was an outpost in Roman Switzerland, predecessor of the modern city of Saint-Maurice in the canton of Valais, southwestern Switzerland. It was used by the Roman Empire for the collection of the '' Quadragesima Galliarum''. In Christian tr ...
and would have faced martyrdom there. There is a poem about the saint in
The Ingoldsby Legends ''The Ingoldsby Legends'' (full title: ''The Ingoldsby Legends, or Mirth and Marvels'') is a collection of myths, legends, ghost stories and poetry written supposedly by Thomas Ingoldsby of Tappington Manor, actually a pen-name of an English cl ...
, entitled ''A Lay of St. Gengulphus'', by
Richard Barham Richard Harris Barham (6 December 1788 – 17 June 1845) was an English cleric of the Church of England, a novelist and a humorous poet. He was known generally by his pseudonym Thomas Ingoldsby and as the author of ''The Ingoldsby Legends''. ...
.


The Office of St Gangulphus

The Psalterium Foundation has undertaken to collect the available materials on the saint. The extensive research done earlier by Paul Trenchard was only available on the Internet Archive. His website has been reconstructed and extended with new findings on the website gengulphus.com. Moreover, an
Office An office is a space where an Organization, organization's employees perform Business administration, administrative Work (human activity), work in order to support and realize objects and Goals, plans, action theory, goals of the organizati ...
was reconstructed from disparate fragments. Finally in early 2022, this Office was sung and recorded by the gregorian chant ensemble, Hartkeriana. It appears that most of this Office has not been sung in over 500 years. The recording will become available in due time.


Gallery

Image:Wolpertswende St Gangolf Deckengemälde Gangolf.jpg, Image of Gangulphus from a church at
Wolpertswende Wolpertswende is a town in the district of Ravensburg (district), Ravensburg in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. World heritage site It is home to one or more prehistoric Stilt house, pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements that are part of the ...
Image:Wolpertswende St Gangolf Gangolfaltar.JPG, Saint Gangolf Altar, Wolpertswende Image:Gangolf 1.jpg, Bust of Gangulphus in Milseburg. Image:St Gangolf Bamberg.jpg, Historical map of Bamberg. Church of St Gangolf at Bamberg. Image:Trier, Portal St. Gangolf Statue (2009-09-21 Sp B).JPG, Portal of St Gangolf in Trier


See also

* Saint Gangulphus, patron saint archive


Notes


External links


Saints of May 11: Gangulphus of Burgundy


* ttp://www.heiligenlexikon.de/BiographienG/Gangolf.html Gangolf
San Gengolfo


{{Authority control Medieval German saints French hermits German hermits 760 deaths 8th-century Frankish saints Year of birth unknown