Goar of Aquitaine

Goar (c. 495, † 575 ) was a priest of Aquitaine, who settled along the Rhine at the site of the future town of Sankt Goar and there was a missionary.

Life and work

Little is known about the actual life of the saint. In addition to the constant tradition in St. Goar, the place of his work, in a Vita the Prüm monk Wandalbert († 870 ) Further details will be reported about him. This Vita relies in turn on an older source.

Accordingly, the priest Goar came from Aquitaine in south-western France and was the child of a Georgius and Valeria.

Under the reign of King Childebert I († 558 ), the son of Clovis I, Goar moved from his home in the then Diocese of Trier and settled on the left bank of the Middle Rhine in the area of present-day town of St. Goar down to a missionary to act. After wall Alberts Vita and built a small church in which he laid down a number of relics, the most part pagan population preached the Christian faith and led a pious life of prayer and asceticism. His goodness and kindness especially was praised.

Goar lived and died as a hermit in the odor of sanctity. After his death ( 575 ) his grave and his former cell advanced to become a place of pilgrimage; the locality took its name. It grew to become a cleric community whose beginnings may still go back to him.

Worship and pilgrimage

Already 765, King Pippin the " cell of Goar " the Prüm Abt Assuer for personal use for life. His son Charlemagne converted to 782 personal donation of Pepin in a donation to the Abbey of Prüm to. Here, at the cell of St.. Called Goar six resident cleric. From this point the pin Prüm was responsible for the pastoral and liturgical service. The pilgrimage to the Holy. Goar promoted the pen sustainable, which is why the local cleric Wandalbert of Prüm was investigating about St. Goar and 850 wrote his biography. Abt Assuer led with great energy to build a new church, which was consecrated later than 781. St. Goar became one of the three headquarters of the Prüm Abts. In the 11th century it was a collegiate with twelve canons and nine vicarages. At the top of the college was the Dean. About 1100, now the Collegiate Church of St. Goar was built with three-aisled crypt, choir towers and the present choir date from the mid-13th century. As of 1444 saw the construction of the present nave and the church was under Count Philip I of Katzenelenbogen (reigned 1444-1479 ) magnificently ornamented, including with frescoes and figurative stained glass windows.

Already in 1449 had to Count Philip of Katzenelenbogen the rights to the monastery of St. Goar sold the Prüm abbot John. Since then, it belonged geographically to the territory of the Counts of Katzenelenbogen and fell in 1479 as successor to the Landgrave of Hesse.

Landgrave Philipp I of Hesse resulted in its territory the Reformation and raised the monastery of St. Goar 1527. The first Protestant worship service was held on January 1, 1528 in the Collegiate Church of St. Goar, banned the Catholic cult and the pilgrimages, eliminates the grave of the saint and expelled the canons. Great-grandson of Philip, Landgrave Ernst I of Hesse- Rotenburg Rhine rock - converted to Catholicism in 1652, making the veneration of St. Goar could revive. First he handed over the crypt of the Collegiate Church to the Catholics to use. Soon after, he built the new Roman Catholic Church. It was consecrated in 1660 and is transferred there also the artful Tumbaplatte from the grave of St.. Goar, which is now incorporated into the Catholic Church on the right side of the altar. The historic collegiate church remained in the possession of the Protestant community. The largest, still preserved after the Reformation relic of St.. Goar is an arm relic, which is located in the St. Castor 's Basilica in Koblenz.

St. Castor also came as a hermit of Aquitaine from the diocese of Trier; it is not excluded that Goar came here by example.

Legends and popular beliefs

His hospitality, especially towards the Rhine boatmen, was according to legend so great that he had to answer for it before the bishop of Trier, but found favor, as he hung his hat and coat on a sunbeam. Many miracle stories are similar to original: Goar said to have kicked the devil, who slandered him hard. He had also causes no wine ran out from the open bung hole of a barrel, have two priests who were near starvation, saved with the milk of three summoned hinds and keeps a ship from sinking. He was a wonderful way to use without a rudder, the Rhine upstream drove up to St. Goar from the Mosel. The most miracle stories have grown up around the proverbial friendliness of the saint or his help for the sailors and travelers. His hospitality made ​​him the patron of potters, Ziegler and innkeepers. From its south- native France, he had also brought vines to the Rhine, which is why it is also called as a winemaker patron.

Fastrada, the third wife of Charlemagne, to the grave of St.. Have been redeemed Goar of toothache.

The attributes of St. Goar are: deer, snake ( devil) or pots. It is traditionally called as the patron of potters, Ziegler, winemakers, restaurant owners and sailors, as well as libel and an honest name.

His feast day is July 6. In the diocese of Limburg, the festival is celebrated on July 9, in the diocese of Trier on 24 July.

In Muri, Switzerland, there is a church, St the. Goar Patron has.

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