Coloman of Stockerau ( ga, Colmán; la, Colomannus; died 18 October 1012) was an Irish

saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of Q-D-Š, holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and Christian denomination, denominat ...

. While on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, he was mistaken for a spy and hanged near Vienna.

Life

Originally known as Colmán (variously rendered Koloman, Kálmán, Colman, and Colomannus), he was an Irish pilgrim en route to the

Holy Land The Holy Land; Arabic: or is an area roughly located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Eastern Bank of the Jordan River, traditionally synonymous both with the biblical Land of Israel and with the region of Palestine. The term "Holy ...

and was mistaken for a spy because of his strange appearance. He was tortured and hanged at Stockerau, near Vienna, Austria, on 16 July 1012.Monks of Ramsgate. "Colman". //Book of Saints'', 1921. CatholicSaints.Info. 11 October 2012
/ref> Later tradition has it that he was "a son of Máel-Sechnaill (d. 1022), high king of Ireland." (Breen, 2009) At the time of his death, there were continual skirmishes among Austria, Moravia, and

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...

. Coloman spoke no German, so he could not give an understandable account of himself. He was hanged alongside several robbers. According to Aidan Breen, "He was made a saint by the local people, possibly out of remorse for the deed and because of his endurance under torture and the many miracles reported from where his body was buried." (Breen, 2009)

Veneration

On 13 October 1014, his relics were transferred to the Abbey of Melk by Bishop Megingard at the request of Marquis Henry of Austria. Decades later, they were taken to Hungary. Coleman became the object of a popular cult, and many churches and chapels in Austria, the Electorate of the Palatinate, Hungary, and Bavaria were dedicated to him. He is also venerated in Ireland. A legend states that Coloman's body remained incorruptible for eighteen months, remaining undisturbed by birds and beasts. The scaffolding itself is said to have taken root and to have blossomed with green branches, one of which is preserved under the high altar of the Franciscan church at Stockerau. Géza I of Hungary named one of his sons, King Coleman of Hungary, in his honor. In the 13th century, the younger brother of King

Bela IV of Hungary Bela may refer to: Places Asia *Bela Pratapgarh, a town in Pratapgarh District, Uttar Pradesh, India *Bela, a small village near Bhandara, Maharashtra, India *Bela, another name for the biblical city Zoara * Bela, Dang, in Nepal *Bela, Janakpur, ...

was named Coloman of Galicia-Lodomeria in honor of Coloman. Eventually, the relics of Coloman were taken back from the Cathedral of

Székesfehérvár Székesfehérvár (; german: Stuhlweißenburg ), known colloquially as Fehérvár ("white castle"), is a city in central Hungary, and the country's ninth-largest city. It is the regional capital of Central Transdanubia, and the centre of Fejér ...

to Melk Abbey in Austria, where they are still kept. Many Austrian rulers made modifications to the tomb of Coloman, and the actual reliquary was made in the Baroque style.

References

Sources

"Coleman", by Aidan Breen, ''Dictionary of Irish Biography'', page 696, volume two, 2009.

External links

Saint of the Day, October 13: ''Coloman of Stockerau''
at ''SaintPatrickDC.org''
Catholic Online: St. ColomanSaint Coloman of Stockerau
at ''Saints.SQPN.com'' * {{Authority control 10th-century births 1012 deaths 11th-century Christian saints Medieval Irish saints on the Continent 11th-century Christian martyrs People from Korneuburg District Incorrupt saints

Life

Veneration

See also

References

Sources

External links