Saints celebrated on the 7th of May
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Arnold of Rotberg, Prince-Bishop of Basel, belonged to the pious knightly family of "Rotberg" in Basel [Switzerland]. He was born around 1395 as the eldest of five children.
From his earliest youth he was a fervent admirer of the Blessed Virgin Mary. His devotion partly stemmed from one of the most beautiful Marian pilgrimages in Switzerland: "Unsere Liebe Frau im Stein” [Our Lady of the Rock] gained popularity at the time. A shepherd boy who fell from a very high rock was miraculously saved by the Blessed Virgin Mary. This wonderful event took place right next door to his father's ancestral castle "Rotberg" - the family's summer residence.
In order to be able to serve the Queen of Heaven properly, Arnold joined the clergy. He excelled in all virtues, so that on January 19, 1451 he was elected Prince-Bishop of Basel.
As such, he was not only a faithful son of the Church, but also a zealous friend of his fatherland. A messenger of peace, he sought to heal all divisions through patience and perseverance with justice and equity.
Having left many monuments to his virtue and true pastoral zeal, he died on May 7, 1458 at the age of 64. This servant of God and the Church was praised as a pious, godly prince worthy of eternal praise, as a light of the prelates, as a hero whose death filled the whole city of Basel with tears. He has, however, not been the subject of public ecclesiastical veneration.
(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, 1858 - 📷 Arnold von Rotberg, Wikimedia Commons)
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