Saint Meinrad of Einsiedeln, O.S.B., was a 9th century Benedictine monk, hermit, and saint of the Roman Catholic Church, known as the Martyr of Hospitality.
Born near Rottenburg around the year 797, and killed by thieves at Einsiedeln on Jan. 21, 861, Meinrad received his education and entered the Order of St. Benedict at Reichenau Abbey in his native Germany. After ordination to the priesthood around the year 824, he taught at Reichenau and then served at the Benedictine priory at Benken in Switzerland. Around the year 835, seeking greater solitude, he was allowed to establish a hermitage and chapel on Mount Etzel, the present site of Einsiedeln Abbey. He had with him a small statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, given to him by Hildegard, Abbess of Zurich, which is now known as Our Lady of Einsiedeln. His life of simple austerity and his reputation for holiness soon drew pilgrims to his remote hut, and they brought him gifts and alms which Meinrad distributed to the poor and needy. He always welcomed all visitors with Christian hospitality, even the two robbers who finally took his life after 26 years in that lonely place. When his brother monks found him dead, they buried him back at the abbey on Reichenau Island, and in the year 934 they established Einsiendeln Abbey where Meinrad's chapel had been. In 1039, the year of Meinrad's canonization as a saint, his remains were brought back to Einsiedeln. During the French Revolution, Meinrad's relics were hidden at Tyrol, Austria, by Abbot Conrad Tanner, and his reliquary is now enshrined in the Grace Chapel of the abbey church at Einsiedeln. Saint Meinrad's feast day is celebrated on Jan. 21.∼Saint Meinrad
Also known as
Maynard
Meginrat
Meinrad of Einsiedeln
Memorial
21 January
Profile
May have been a member of the noble Hohenzollern family. Educated, professed as a Benedictine monk, and ordained at the abbey on the island of Reichenau, in Lake Constance in Switzerland. Teacher in Zurich. Around 829 he withdrew to live in prayer as a hermit in the Black Forest. As word of his holiness and wisdom spread, he attracted many visitors and would-be students. In 836 he retreated to a more remote location near Einsiedeln (which means hermitage).
On 21 January 861 he received, fed, sheltered and entertained two rough-looking travellers. They were thieves, and when they found that Meinrad was a holy hermit who owned nothing worth stealing, they were so angry that they beat him to death. Legend says that his body was protected by ravens who attacked and chased away the murderers. Because he was such a holy man, he was considered a martyr, but there is no evidence that he died defending the faith.
In the years following his death, a series of hermits, including Blessed Benno, used his hermitage. In 934 a Benedictine monastery was built there. It survives today, still serving as monastery, retreat center, and pilgrimage site. The statue of the Blessed Virgin in its huge church is thought to have belonged to Meinrad himself.
Born
at Solgen, Swabia (Sülichgau near Wurtemberg)
Died
beaten to death with clubs by robbers on 21 January 861 at Einsiedeln, Switzerland; relics in the abbey church at Einsiedeln
Canonized
Pre-Congregation
Patronage
Einsiedeln, Switzerland
hospitality
Swabia, Germany Representation
dead monk with ravens pursuing his murderers
dead monk with two ravens near him
monk being beaten to death with clubs by two men
monk eating fish with a widow
monk holding a club and ciborium
monk with a tau staff walking into the wilderness
monk with Saint Benedict
two ravens
Born near Rottenburg around the year 797, and killed by thieves at Einsiedeln on Jan. 21, 861, Meinrad received his education and entered the Order of St. Benedict at Reichenau Abbey in his native Germany. After ordination to the priesthood around the year 824, he taught at Reichenau and then served at the Benedictine priory at Benken in Switzerland. Around the year 835, seeking greater solitude, he was allowed to establish a hermitage and chapel on Mount Etzel, the present site of Einsiedeln Abbey. He had with him a small statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, given to him by Hildegard, Abbess of Zurich, which is now known as Our Lady of Einsiedeln. His life of simple austerity and his reputation for holiness soon drew pilgrims to his remote hut, and they brought him gifts and alms which Meinrad distributed to the poor and needy. He always welcomed all visitors with Christian hospitality, even the two robbers who finally took his life after 26 years in that lonely place. When his brother monks found him dead, they buried him back at the abbey on Reichenau Island, and in the year 934 they established Einsiendeln Abbey where Meinrad's chapel had been. In 1039, the year of Meinrad's canonization as a saint, his remains were brought back to Einsiedeln. During the French Revolution, Meinrad's relics were hidden at Tyrol, Austria, by Abbot Conrad Tanner, and his reliquary is now enshrined in the Grace Chapel of the abbey church at Einsiedeln. Saint Meinrad's feast day is celebrated on Jan. 21.∼Saint Meinrad
Also known as
Maynard
Meginrat
Meinrad of Einsiedeln
Memorial
21 January
Profile
May have been a member of the noble Hohenzollern family. Educated, professed as a Benedictine monk, and ordained at the abbey on the island of Reichenau, in Lake Constance in Switzerland. Teacher in Zurich. Around 829 he withdrew to live in prayer as a hermit in the Black Forest. As word of his holiness and wisdom spread, he attracted many visitors and would-be students. In 836 he retreated to a more remote location near Einsiedeln (which means hermitage).
On 21 January 861 he received, fed, sheltered and entertained two rough-looking travellers. They were thieves, and when they found that Meinrad was a holy hermit who owned nothing worth stealing, they were so angry that they beat him to death. Legend says that his body was protected by ravens who attacked and chased away the murderers. Because he was such a holy man, he was considered a martyr, but there is no evidence that he died defending the faith.
In the years following his death, a series of hermits, including Blessed Benno, used his hermitage. In 934 a Benedictine monastery was built there. It survives today, still serving as monastery, retreat center, and pilgrimage site. The statue of the Blessed Virgin in its huge church is thought to have belonged to Meinrad himself.
Born
at Solgen, Swabia (Sülichgau near Wurtemberg)
Died
beaten to death with clubs by robbers on 21 January 861 at Einsiedeln, Switzerland; relics in the abbey church at Einsiedeln
Canonized
Pre-Congregation
Patronage
Einsiedeln, Switzerland
hospitality
Swabia, Germany Representation
dead monk with ravens pursuing his murderers
dead monk with two ravens near him
monk being beaten to death with clubs by two men
monk eating fish with a widow
monk holding a club and ciborium
monk with a tau staff walking into the wilderness
monk with Saint Benedict
two ravens
Saint Meinrad of Einsiedeln, O.S.B., was a 9th century Benedictine monk, hermit, and saint of the Roman Catholic Church, known as the Martyr of Hospitality.
Born near Rottenburg around the year 797, and killed by thieves at Einsiedeln on Jan. 21, 861, Meinrad received his education and entered the Order of St. Benedict at Reichenau Abbey in his native Germany. After ordination to the priesthood around the year 824, he taught at Reichenau and then served at the Benedictine priory at Benken in Switzerland. Around the year 835, seeking greater solitude, he was allowed to establish a hermitage and chapel on Mount Etzel, the present site of Einsiedeln Abbey. He had with him a small statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, given to him by Hildegard, Abbess of Zurich, which is now known as Our Lady of Einsiedeln. His life of simple austerity and his reputation for holiness soon drew pilgrims to his remote hut, and they brought him gifts and alms which Meinrad distributed to the poor and needy. He always welcomed all visitors with Christian hospitality, even the two robbers who finally took his life after 26 years in that lonely place. When his brother monks found him dead, they buried him back at the abbey on Reichenau Island, and in the year 934 they established Einsiendeln Abbey where Meinrad's chapel had been. In 1039, the year of Meinrad's canonization as a saint, his remains were brought back to Einsiedeln. During the French Revolution, Meinrad's relics were hidden at Tyrol, Austria, by Abbot Conrad Tanner, and his reliquary is now enshrined in the Grace Chapel of the abbey church at Einsiedeln. Saint Meinrad's feast day is celebrated on Jan. 21.∼Saint Meinrad
Also known as
Maynard
Meginrat
Meinrad of Einsiedeln
Memorial
21 January
Profile
May have been a member of the noble Hohenzollern family. Educated, professed as a Benedictine monk, and ordained at the abbey on the island of Reichenau, in Lake Constance in Switzerland. Teacher in Zurich. Around 829 he withdrew to live in prayer as a hermit in the Black Forest. As word of his holiness and wisdom spread, he attracted many visitors and would-be students. In 836 he retreated to a more remote location near Einsiedeln (which means hermitage).
On 21 January 861 he received, fed, sheltered and entertained two rough-looking travellers. They were thieves, and when they found that Meinrad was a holy hermit who owned nothing worth stealing, they were so angry that they beat him to death. Legend says that his body was protected by ravens who attacked and chased away the murderers. Because he was such a holy man, he was considered a martyr, but there is no evidence that he died defending the faith.
In the years following his death, a series of hermits, including Blessed Benno, used his hermitage. In 934 a Benedictine monastery was built there. It survives today, still serving as monastery, retreat center, and pilgrimage site. The statue of the Blessed Virgin in its huge church is thought to have belonged to Meinrad himself.
Born
at Solgen, Swabia (Sülichgau near Wurtemberg)
Died
beaten to death with clubs by robbers on 21 January 861 at Einsiedeln, Switzerland; relics in the abbey church at Einsiedeln
Canonized
Pre-Congregation
Patronage
Einsiedeln, Switzerland
hospitality
Swabia, Germany Representation
dead monk with ravens pursuing his murderers
dead monk with two ravens near him
monk being beaten to death with clubs by two men
monk eating fish with a widow
monk holding a club and ciborium
monk with a tau staff walking into the wilderness
monk with Saint Benedict
two ravens
Born near Rottenburg around the year 797, and killed by thieves at Einsiedeln on Jan. 21, 861, Meinrad received his education and entered the Order of St. Benedict at Reichenau Abbey in his native Germany. After ordination to the priesthood around the year 824, he taught at Reichenau and then served at the Benedictine priory at Benken in Switzerland. Around the year 835, seeking greater solitude, he was allowed to establish a hermitage and chapel on Mount Etzel, the present site of Einsiedeln Abbey. He had with him a small statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, given to him by Hildegard, Abbess of Zurich, which is now known as Our Lady of Einsiedeln. His life of simple austerity and his reputation for holiness soon drew pilgrims to his remote hut, and they brought him gifts and alms which Meinrad distributed to the poor and needy. He always welcomed all visitors with Christian hospitality, even the two robbers who finally took his life after 26 years in that lonely place. When his brother monks found him dead, they buried him back at the abbey on Reichenau Island, and in the year 934 they established Einsiendeln Abbey where Meinrad's chapel had been. In 1039, the year of Meinrad's canonization as a saint, his remains were brought back to Einsiedeln. During the French Revolution, Meinrad's relics were hidden at Tyrol, Austria, by Abbot Conrad Tanner, and his reliquary is now enshrined in the Grace Chapel of the abbey church at Einsiedeln. Saint Meinrad's feast day is celebrated on Jan. 21.∼Saint Meinrad
Also known as
Maynard
Meginrat
Meinrad of Einsiedeln
Memorial
21 January
Profile
May have been a member of the noble Hohenzollern family. Educated, professed as a Benedictine monk, and ordained at the abbey on the island of Reichenau, in Lake Constance in Switzerland. Teacher in Zurich. Around 829 he withdrew to live in prayer as a hermit in the Black Forest. As word of his holiness and wisdom spread, he attracted many visitors and would-be students. In 836 he retreated to a more remote location near Einsiedeln (which means hermitage).
On 21 January 861 he received, fed, sheltered and entertained two rough-looking travellers. They were thieves, and when they found that Meinrad was a holy hermit who owned nothing worth stealing, they were so angry that they beat him to death. Legend says that his body was protected by ravens who attacked and chased away the murderers. Because he was such a holy man, he was considered a martyr, but there is no evidence that he died defending the faith.
In the years following his death, a series of hermits, including Blessed Benno, used his hermitage. In 934 a Benedictine monastery was built there. It survives today, still serving as monastery, retreat center, and pilgrimage site. The statue of the Blessed Virgin in its huge church is thought to have belonged to Meinrad himself.
Born
at Solgen, Swabia (Sülichgau near Wurtemberg)
Died
beaten to death with clubs by robbers on 21 January 861 at Einsiedeln, Switzerland; relics in the abbey church at Einsiedeln
Canonized
Pre-Congregation
Patronage
Einsiedeln, Switzerland
hospitality
Swabia, Germany Representation
dead monk with ravens pursuing his murderers
dead monk with two ravens near him
monk being beaten to death with clubs by two men
monk eating fish with a widow
monk holding a club and ciborium
monk with a tau staff walking into the wilderness
monk with Saint Benedict
two ravens
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