Saint Pirmin
Encyclopedia
Saint Pirmin also named Pirminius, was a monk, strongly influenced by Celtic Christianity
and Saint Amand
.
, possible of Visigothic origin, many of whom had to flee to Francia after the conquest of Spain
by the Saracens in the beginning of the 8th century.
From 718 onwards, he was abbot of the monastery Quortolodora in Antwerp (Austrasia
) and, together with its pupils, the minister of the church inside the broch
, het Steen
. In the 12th century, this church was dedicated to Saint Walpurga
. After a while Pirmin was invited by count Rohingus to stay at his villa
in Thommen, near Sankt Vith
in the Ardennes
.
Pirmin gained the favour of Charles Martel
. He was send to help rebuild Disentis Abbey
in Switzerland. In 724, he was appointed abbot of Mittelzell Abbey at Reichenau Island
, which he had founded. For political reasons he was banished to Alsace
. In 753, he died in the abbey at Hornbach
, where his body is entombed.
and the upper area of the Rhine and the Danube
. Besides actively preaching and converting, he also founded a great number of monasteries, such as those at Amorbach
, Gengenbach
, Murbach
, Wissembourg
, Marmoutier
Neuweiler
, and Hornbach
. He had gained the favor of Odilo of Bavaria
, one of whose foundations, Niederaltaich Abbey
, he settled and organized.
One of Pirmin's books is of special importance to the development of Christianity. His Dicta Abbatis Pirminii, de Singulis Libris Canonicis Scarapsus ("Concerning the Single Canonical Book Scarapsus") is "a collection of quotations from Scripture and the Church Fathers to be used in putting together the sermons a missionary should preach in his evangelistic work." Written between 710-724, provides the earliest appearance of the present text of the Apostles' Creed
.
Celtic Christianity
Celtic Christianity or Insular Christianity refers broadly to certain features of Christianity that were common, or held to be common, across the Celtic-speaking world during the Early Middle Ages...
and Saint Amand
Saint Amand
Saint Amand or Amandus was a French Christian saint, one of the great Christian Saints of Flanders.-Biography:...
.
Biography
He originated from the surroundings of NarbonneNarbonne
Narbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
, possible of Visigothic origin, many of whom had to flee to Francia after the conquest of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
by the Saracens in the beginning of the 8th century.
From 718 onwards, he was abbot of the monastery Quortolodora in Antwerp (Austrasia
Austrasia
Austrasia formed the northeastern portion of the Kingdom of the Merovingian Franks, comprising parts of the territory of present-day eastern France, western Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Metz served as its capital, although some Austrasian kings ruled from Rheims, Trier, and...
) and, together with its pupils, the minister of the church inside the broch
Broch
A broch is an Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure of a type found only in Scotland. Brochs include some of the most sophisticated examples of drystone architecture ever created, and belong to the classification "complex Atlantic Roundhouse" devised by Scottish archaeologists in the 1980s....
, het Steen
Het Steen
Het Steen is medieval fortress in the old city centre of Antwerp, Belgium, one of Europe's biggest ports. Built after the Viking incursions in the early Middle Ages as the first stone fortress of Antwerp, Het Steen is Antwerp's oldest building and used to be its oldest urban centre.Previously known...
. In the 12th century, this church was dedicated to Saint Walpurga
Saint Walpurga
Saint Walpurga or Walburga , also spelled Valderburg or Guibor, was an English missionary to the Frankish Empire. She was canonized on 1 May ca. 870 by Pope Adrian II...
. After a while Pirmin was invited by count Rohingus to stay at his villa
Villa
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
in Thommen, near Sankt Vith
Sankt Vith
St. Vith is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège, and in the German speaking community in Belgium. It was named after Saint Vitus....
in the Ardennes
Ardennes
The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...
.
Pirmin gained the favour of Charles Martel
Charles Martel
Charles Martel , also known as Charles the Hammer, was a Frankish military and political leader, who served as Mayor of the Palace under the Merovingian kings and ruled de facto during an interregnum at the end of his life, using the title Duke and Prince of the Franks. In 739 he was offered the...
. He was send to help rebuild Disentis Abbey
Disentis Abbey
Disentis Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in the Canton of Graubünden in eastern Switzerland, around which the present town of Disentis grew up.-Foundation to 19th century:...
in Switzerland. In 724, he was appointed abbot of Mittelzell Abbey at Reichenau Island
Reichenau Island
Reichenau Island lies in Lake Constance in southern Germany, at approximately . It lies between Gnadensee and Untersee, two parts of Lake Constance, almost due west of the city of Konstanz. The island is connected to the mainland by a causeway that was completed in 1838...
, which he had founded. For political reasons he was banished to Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
. In 753, he died in the abbey at Hornbach
Hornbach
Hornbach is a municipality in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated southwest of the Palatinate forest, on the border with France, south of Zweibrücken. It is part of the Verbandsgemeinde Zweibrücken-Land.The monastery was the most likely reason for the...
, where his body is entombed.
Missionary and other activities
Pirmin's missionary work mainly took place in the AlsaceAlsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
and the upper area of the Rhine and the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
. Besides actively preaching and converting, he also founded a great number of monasteries, such as those at Amorbach
Amorbach Abbey
Amorbach Abbey was a Benedictine monastery located at Amorbach in the district of Miltenberg in Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany.- History :...
, Gengenbach
Gengenbach
Gengenbach is a town in the district of Ortenau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany and a popular tourist destination on the western edge of the Black Forest with about 11,000 inhabitants....
, Murbach
Murbach Abbey
Murbach Abbey was a famous Benedictine monastery in Murbach, southern Alsace, in a valley at the foot of the Grand Ballon in the Vosges.The monastery was founded in 727 by Eberhard, Count of Alsace, and established as a Benedictine house by Saint Pirmin. Its territory once comprised 3 towns and 30...
, Wissembourg
Wissembourg
Wissembourg is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in northeastern France.It is situated on the little River Lauter close to the border between France and Germany approximately north of Strasbourg and west of Karlsruhe. Wissembourg is a sub-prefecture of the department...
, Marmoutier
Marmoutier
Marmoutier is a commune in the Bas-Rhin département in Alsace in north-eastern France. The origin of the place is the former Marmoutier Abbey, of which the abbey church still serves as the parish church. It is a commune in the Bas-Rhin département in Alsace in north-eastern France.-History:In 590 St...
Neuweiler
Neuweiler
Neuweiler is a town in Germany, located in the Calw district and region of Karlsruhe of Baden-Württemberg. It is crossed by two rivers, the Enz and the Teinach.-External links:*...
, and Hornbach
Hornbach
Hornbach is a municipality in the Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated southwest of the Palatinate forest, on the border with France, south of Zweibrücken. It is part of the Verbandsgemeinde Zweibrücken-Land.The monastery was the most likely reason for the...
. He had gained the favor of Odilo of Bavaria
Odilo of Bavaria
Odilo was an Alamannic nobleman, a son of Gotfrid of the house of the Agilolfings.He ruled Thurgau until 736, when with the death of Hugbert of Bavaria the older line of the Agilofing became extinct and he inherited the rulership of Bavaria, which he held until his death in 748.Odilo presided...
, one of whose foundations, Niederaltaich Abbey
Niederaltaich Abbey
Niederaltaich Abbey or Niederaltaich Monastery is a house of the Benedictine Order founded in 731 , situated in the village of Niederalteich on the Danube in Bavaria....
, he settled and organized.
One of Pirmin's books is of special importance to the development of Christianity. His Dicta Abbatis Pirminii, de Singulis Libris Canonicis Scarapsus ("Concerning the Single Canonical Book Scarapsus") is "a collection of quotations from Scripture and the Church Fathers to be used in putting together the sermons a missionary should preach in his evangelistic work." Written between 710-724, provides the earliest appearance of the present text of the Apostles' Creed
Apostles' Creed
The Apostles' Creed , sometimes titled Symbol of the Apostles, is an early statement of Christian belief, a creed or "symbol"...
.
See also
- Saint BonifaceSaint BonifaceSaint Boniface , the Apostle of the Germans, born Winfrid, Wynfrith, or Wynfryth in the kingdom of Wessex, probably at Crediton , was a missionary who propagated Christianity in the Frankish Empire during the 8th century. He is the patron saint of Germany and the first archbishop of Mainz...
- Saint Willibrord
- Schottenklöster