Wolfsindis of Reisbach is a regional

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 ...

of the Middle Ages in Lower Bavaria,Dieter Vogel (ed.): ''Das Vilstal - Heimatbuch''. Kiebitz Buch 1994, Vilsbiburg, pp. 200-201. who is revered as holy virgin and martyr.P. W. Auer:
Wolfsindis, S.
'. In: Johann E. Stadler, Franz Joseph Heim, Johann N. Ginal (ed.): ''Vollständiges Heiligen-Lexikon'', Volume 5 (Q–Z), B. Schmid’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung (A. Manz), Augsburg 1882, pp
997-999
- (Appendix to volumes 1 to 5, volume 5, addendum to p. 832) Her veneration dates back to the 7th or 8th century. According to legend, Wolfsindis became a

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

in secret and was slain by her

heathen __NOTOC__ Heathen or Heathens may refer to: Religion *Heathen, another name for a pagan *Heathen, an adherent of Heathenry Music *Band of Heathens, a North American rock and roll band *Heathen (band), a North American thrash metal band *The Hea ...

father, whereupon a spring rose up at that spot. A different tradition recounts that, as a Christian virgin, she was bound to the tail of a horse by a rejected suitor and dragged to death. The saint and her grave were revered at least since the 8th century, when the Bavarian duke

Tassilo III Tassilo III ( 741 – c. 796) was the duke of Bavaria from 748 to 788, the last of the house of the Agilolfings. The Son of Duke Odilo of Bavaria and Hitrud, the Daughter of Charles Martell. Tassilo, then still a child, began his rule as a Frankis ...

(748–788) gave Reisbach to Wessobrunn Abbey in 760. At this place a church

synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word ''wikt:synod, synod'' comes from the meaning "assembly" or "meeting" and is analogous with the Latin ...

took place in 798/799. Wolfsindis is further mentioned in a Wessobrunnian necrology from the 10th century, an

indenture An indenture is a legal contract that reflects or covers a debt or purchase obligation. It specifically refers to two types of practices: in historical usage, an indentured servant status, and in modern usage, it is an instrument used for commercia ...

Regensburg Regensburg or is a city in eastern Bavaria, at the confluence of the Danube, Naab and Regen rivers. It is capital of the Upper Palatinate subregion of the state in the south of Germany. With more than 150,000 inhabitants, Regensburg is the f ...

's bishop Heinrich I (1132–1155) from 1139 and a necrology of the Abbey of Saint Gall from the 12th century. Since 1753 the holy day of Wolfsindis is celebrated in Reisbach and neighbouring Dirnaich. September 2 ihas been observed as Wolfsindis' death and feast day since old times. There are no doubts about her historicity, but there are questions about her martyrdom. The cult of the saint is connected to a spring cult: In the 18th and 19th century many healings were attributed to the water that nowadays flows from below the altar of the small church erected in 1822.

References

* Reinhard Höppl: ''Die Traditionen des Klosters Wessobrunn.'' Beck Verlag, München 1984, , p. 5. * P. Morsbach: ''Wolfsindis – die kleine Heilige von Reisbach.'' In: ''Ratisbona Sacra. Das Bistum Regensburg im Mittelalter.'' Exhibition catalogue, art collection of the bishopric of Regensburg, diocesan museum Regensburg, catalogues and scriptures, volume 6. München–Zürich 1989, pp. 301–302. *

External links

Images of Wolfsindis chapel at Reisbach
{{Authority control 7th-century births People of medieval Bavaria Medieval German saints Year of death unknown