Germanus of Münstergranfelden, St.

views updated

GERMANUS OF MÜNSTERGRANFELDEN, ST.

Abbot; b. Trier, c. 610; d. Feb. 21, 675. Son of a senator and reared, after his father's death, by St. Modoald, bishop of Trier (d. c. 640), Germanus first became a disciple of St. arnulf of metz. He later transferred from Arnulf's monastery at remiremont to luxeuil, whose abbot, St. Walbert (d. c. 668), recommended him to Duke Gondo, who was seeking an abbot for a new monastery founded at Münster-Granfelden. Germanus ruled the abbey for 35 years. He vigorously opposed the oppression of the peasants by Boniface, Gondo's brother and successor. Boniface murdered Germanus and his companion Randoald c. 675. Germanus's relics, along with his crosier, are preserved in the parish church of Helsberg.

Feast: Feb. 21.

Bibliography: Monumenta Germaniae Historica: Scriptores rerum Germanicarum 5:2540. Bibliotheca hagiographica latina antiquae et mediae aetatis 3467. Acta Sanctorum Feb3:266269. a. reis, Moutier-Grandval (Biel 1940). a. butler, The Lives of the Saints (New York 1956) 1:385. g. haseloff, "Der Abtsstab des hl. G.," Germania 33 (1955) 210235. r. mossbrugger, Ur-Schweiz 20 (1956) 5460. s. koffer, La crosse merovingienne de Saint Germain, premier abbé de Moutier-Grandval (Porrentruy 1996).

[m. b. ryan]

About this article

Germanus of Münstergranfelden, St.

Updated About encyclopedia.com content Print Article