St. Wendelin of Tholey, Confessor
(Wendolinus, Wendel)
21 October
Died c. 607. Saint Wendelin's identity was nearly lost, although there were
17 towns in the U.S. in 1957 named after him. He was an Irish shepherd who
became famous for his sanctity, when settled along the Rhein following a
pilgrimage to Rome and began to evangelize the region.
A later legend makes him an Irish hermit, whose cell became the Benedictine
abbey of Tholey in the diocese of Treves (Trier), Germany. Or, is it a
legend? The Diocese of Trier records that he was an Irish saint.
It is said that so many miracles occurred at his death that a church was
built on the spot along the Nahe River to house his relics. The church still
survives. The 1370 stone sarcophagus, which was first used as a table to
hold the wooden shrine, and a representation of the saint from c. 1300
remain, still survive.
(Benedictines,
D'Arcy,
Fitzpatrick,
Kenney,
Montague).
In art, his emblem is sheep, a dog, and a club. Sometimes there is a staff,
pouch, cup, and dog at his feet, at other times a long staff and a calf at
his feet. He is the patron of shepherds and peasants. He is invoked on
behalf of sick cattle
(Roeder).
The 14th-century image of Wendelin depicts
him as an Irish monk with a staff and Gospel, rather than as a shepherd
(D'Arcy).
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content © 2008, Ambrose Mooney
layout © 2008, Kathleen Hanrahan and Mo! Langdon
Page last updated: 2 January 2009
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Mo!.
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