Gummar, St.
GUMMAR, ST.
Hermit and nobleman; b. Emblehem, Belgium, c. 717; d. Nivesdonck, c. 775. The extant account of his life was written at the end of the 11th century to honor him as the patron saint of Lier. The author, Theobald, claimed that his vita was based on an earlier version, but no earlier life has survived. Gummar (Gomer; in French, Gommaire) is said to have fought in many campaigns under pepin iii. After building a small oratory at Lier, he divided the rest of his life between solitary prayer and the administration of his estates. He is regarded as one of the outstanding wonder-workers of the Low Countries.
Feast: Oct. 11.
Bibliography: Acta Sanctorum Oct. 5:674–697. Bibliotheca hagiographica latina antiquae et mediae aetatis, 2 v. (Brussels 1898–1901; suppl. 1911) 1:3694–99. j. l. baudot and l. chaussin, Vies des saints et des bienheueux selon l'ordre du calendrier avec l'historique des fêtes (Paris 1935–56) 10:363–365. É de moreau, Histoire de l'église en Belgique (2d ed. Brussels 1945) 1:320–322. t. paaps, De heilige Gummarus in de literatur, de liturgie en de volksvereering (Antwerp 1944).
[j. e. lynch]