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BLESSED GERHOHUS, PROVOST - 24 JUNE

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JUNE

Saints celebrated on the 24th of June

BLESSED GERHOHUS, PROVOST


The name Gerhohus is derived from the old German; ger, gar - very, the second syllable denoting high; i.e. very high. 

Blessed Gerhohus, provost of Reichersberg, also called Gerohus and Gerochus, was born of pious middle-class parents in Polling in Upper Bavaria, bishopric of Augsburg, around the year 1093.

He studied in Moosburg, Freiburg and Hildesheim. After his return, Bishop Herimann of Augsburg accepted him into his cathedral chapter in 1119 and then named him cathedral scholaster, in which role he was responsible for teaching the cathedral school. Since this bishop expected him to take the side of Henry V against Pope Paschal, he left Augsburg and fled to the Nailenbuch monastery, where he was admitted. After peace and order was restored, Gerhohus was called back to accompany Bishop Hermann to the Council at Rome (in 1129).

Upon his return to Augsburg, he wished to restore the communal life of the canons, but encountered innumerable obstacles. Bishop Chuno [Cuno] of Regensburg [Ratisbon] ordained Gerhohus and entrusted to him the parish of Cham in the Bavarian Forest. Our Blessed accompanied the bishop on the visitations of his parish, on which occasion he delivered beautiful and edifying addresses. These he collected in a book which he dedicated to bishop Chuno. 

After Chuno's death in 1132 Archbishop Konrad of Salzburg put him in charge of the Reichersberg monastery on the Inn (in the Innviertel) as provost. Gerhohus brought this institute to great prosperity, assisted by the generosity of bishops and wealthy laymen. For forty years he held this office, spreading far and wide the splendour of his piety and learning. Entirely imbued with zeal for the glory of God, Gerhohus raised his powerful voice even before popes, bishops, and kings, and openly reprimanded licentiousness and disorder wherever he found them. 

He endeavoured to communicate this spirit to his monastery. His ardent wish was that it should oppose the prince of darkness like a terrible army and thwart his intrigues and storms. 

Gerhohus is also the founder of a convent. The church he built was consecrated in 1183 by Bishop Roman von Gurk. 

Popes Calixtus II, Honorius II, Innocent II, Celestinus II, Eugenius III, Anastasius IV and Alexander III had absolute confidence in him, and he was also in high favour with dukes, princes and counts, especially with the archbishops Konrad and Eberhard of Salzburg, as well as with the bishops of Passau and Bamberg, who often asked him for advice on important matters. 

Gerhohus was a prolific writer of learned and highly esteemed works. He died on June 24, 1169. His body was buried at the monastery church of Reichersberg at the cross altar. (But. XIX. 595.) (Cf. Pf. Braun, life stories of all saints and blessed of the diocese of Augsburg, pp. 106-111.)

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 2, Augsburg, 1861, pp. 405-06)

Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of the blessed Gerhohus may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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