ST GANGOLF, MARTYR - 11 MAY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY

Saints celebrated on the 11th of May

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SAINT GANGOLF, MARTYR

Saint Gangolf, Geisa's¹ Coat of Arms

The name Gangolf is derived from the Old German geng, meaning young, and ulf, translated as help, thus: youthful helper.

Saint Gengulf (Gangolf) - variously spelled Gangulphus [Gangulpus], Gangolfus, Galgolfus, Gandulphus, and Gengolfus, French Saint Gengoul is commemorated on May 11 and also on August 6. He was descended from one of the noblest families in Burgundy. His wealth included significant estates, particularly in and around Varennes. 

As a youth, he was a great lover of hunting. Whether he pursued this blood sport to while away the time, thus escaping a sense of idleness, or for the purpose of training in arms (Migne* states the latter reason as a kind of excuse), we leave aside, since in our opinion such a hobby, as long as it does not exceed the limits of moderation, need not detract from piety. Under King Pepin (then still majordomo), he entered military service and was ranked among the bravest of the Frankish army, combining loyalty to his temporal lord with a deep and earnest piety toward God. 

His wife was also of aristocratic lineage, but she indulged in the most shameful debauchery, which eventually forced her husband to separate from her. He then devoted himself to strict penances and showed such deep love for the poor that he used a large portion of his income to alleviate their suffering. Meanwhile his wife continued her scandalous lifestyle. Because she feared being handed over to the severity of the law by her husband, she persuaded her present lover to assassinate Gangolf. The deed was duly accomplished (according to Butler* [VI. 362] on May 11, 760).

Soon after his death, he was venerated as a saint in Burgundy, on the Rhine, and on the Moselle. His body was buried at Avaux in Bassigny. Later, it was transferred to the Church of Saint Peter in Varennes. A number of his relics were distributed to various churches and monasteries in France, Germany, and the Netherlands. Parts of his head were in the Capuchin monasteries at Eichstädt and also in Bamberg, where one of the four city parish churches is dedicated to Saint Gangolf. The Bollandists* (Apr. III. 208) add that Gerard built a church in his honour in Toul, decorated with paintings and other treasures. Other churches bearing his name are located in Mainz, Brühl, and many other places. Numerous miracles that occurred through his intercession are described by the Bollandists*. The Roman Martyrology* mentions him on May 11 with the name Gangulphus/Gangulpus. (II. 642–659).

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 2, Augsburg, 1861, pp. 373-74)

*A hagiography source used by the authors 

¹Geisa is a rural town in Germany located south of the Wartburg district in the Thuringian Rhön in the Ulster valley.

Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Gangolf 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.

Sources of these articles (in the original German): books.google.co.uk, de-academic.com, zeno.org, openlibrary.org