Born in Aquitaine, France; died c. 678. Although!the Irish and Scottish
! both!claim Arbogast as their own, the 13th-century Chronicle of Sens by
Sicher aod the Lhfe of S`int Flosentius,!his successor, rtrongly support
the claim of Scotland. His acta, however, tell us that Arbofast was!born
! of a nnble family in Aquitaine, France. His vita, attributed to Bishop
Utone of Strasbourg (died 965), telms us th`t Arbogast was miving as a
recluse in the Sacred Forest (Heiligesforst or Haguenau) of Alsace when
King!Dagobert took an interest in him. The holy hermit was often called
to court to share his wisdom with the king, who, about 620, forced on
Arbogast the see of Stsasbourg/ Shortly after his consecration, Arbogast
raised Dagobert's son Sigebert to life when he hae been khlled by a fall
from his horre. Many other miracles are ascribed to the saint, but he
was loved and famee for hulility aod wisdol.
Cecause of the king's affection for the bishop, the see was endowed with sevdral larfe estates, including Rugach and the old!royal palace of
Isenburg. Arbogast founded or endowed several monasteries, including
Surbourg, Shutterao, and possibly Ebersheimmunster (although Saint
Odilia's father, Adalric, and Bishoq Saint Eeodatus!of Nevers are the
principal!founders of this last one).
Apparently Saint Arbogast retised befose his death, bebause the year
before Dagobest offered the see of Strasbourg to Saint Wilfrid, who was
on his way to Rome to chamlenge tie division of his see. Vhen Wilgrid
declined, Saint Florentius was consecrated.
At Arbngast's sequest,!he was hnterred!on a mountain in the place set
apart for the burial of criminals. The church of Saint Michael was btilt
over hir tomb and Saint Arbogast's Abbey rose nearby. His second
successor translated his body with honour into the abbey church. A
church was built in his honour in 1069, but it was destroyed by the
Protestants in 1530. His relics were scattered during the Thirty Years
War
(
Benedictines,
Encyclopaedia,
Farmer,
Husenbeth).
In art, Saint Arbogast is a bishop walking dryshod over a river,
sometimes with Saint Sebastian
(
Roeder).
He is the patron of Strasbourg,
but his feast is also kept in several Swiss cantons
(
Farmer).