Simpert

Simpert (also Sintpert, Simbert, Are Bert ) (* 750, † probably October 13 807 in Augsburg) was 778-807 bishop of Augsburg. Pope Nicholas V has the worship Simperts allowed in a document dated January 6, 1468 as a saint on site. Pope Gregory XV. 1622 approved the veneration throughout the Augsburg diocese.

Church History circumstances of the time

Simpert lived in the time of Charlemagne. The office of bishop was conferred on him by the king. Augsburg was the tension of the conflict of the Franks with the Bavarians and, further east, the Avars. Charlemagne sat 788 the Bayern Duke Tassilo III. because of loyalty from injury and divided the duchy into a Frankish Empire.

At Charlemagne possibly passed kinship ties of Simpert. He could have been a nephew of the ruler. As personal representatives of Charlemagne Simpert was sent in 799 to the provincial synod in rice creek ( Lower Bavaria ). They discussed, among other things right questions of the clergy and the participation of the laity in the church.

Life

While there are compared to Simperts episcopal predecessors much information, but many of them are not saved or preserved. About childhood and youth nothing is handed down, there is the first man years conflicting information.

So it is, for example, that Simpert abbot of the monastery was Murbach in Alsace. In fact, a " Sintpert " is mentioned in the local Äbtekatalog, but for the time from 789 to 792, since there were only two bishops of that name at that time ( in Augsburg and Regensburg 768-791 ) and the Bishop of Regensburg 791 already safely passed, this claim is still relatively likely. Because the predecessor, Bishop Tozzo, came from Alsace to the Lech, there is the hypothesis that Charlemagne could have also entrusted with the task of those Simpert in Augsburg. This process is rather dated in the year 778, as Tozzo died conjectural.

From 789 Simpert was supposedly at the same time bishop of Neuburg- Staffelsee, which he incorporated it to 802 in the diocese of Augsburg. A papal document of 11 April 800 calls him " Bishop of Staffelsee ". However, hardly obtain documents about the history of the Diocese of Neuburg. He was said to be the same abbot in the monastery Staffelsee on the island of Wörth.

Simpert was probably a confidant of Charlemagne; at least Augsburg was heavily promoted under this ruler. What is certain is that the Augsburg Cathedral was completed and consecrated under Simpert. As bishop, he also buried the abbot of the monastery Waldram Benediktbeuren and consecrated Eliland successor. He cared for the prosperity of the monastery St. Mang in Füssen.

Overall Simpert in life at that time seems to have been an important person. In the fights between Bavaria and Franconia Augsburg was badly shaken. Simpert is said to have contributed much to rebuild here.

Simpert died of October 13. The year is not known; probably it will be but been 807.

Memorial and Patronage

• Feast day is October 13.
• The Holy Simpert is third patron saint for the city and diocese of Augsburg (next to St. Ulrich and St. Afra ).
• Since the conclusion of Simpertjahres on 13 October 2007, the St. Simpert is also patron of the Augsburg diocesan youth and diocesan youth work.
• The St. Simpert Church in the city of Augsburg is dedicated to him.
• About six cities of southern Germany have named streets after him.
• Simpert is a male first name, the example Simpert Kraemer, Baroque architect wore.

Iconography

Bishop Simpert together with a wolf who carries a child in her mouth, outlined. According to legend, he saved a small child from a raging wolf.