Ulrich of Augsburg
St. Ulrich of Augsburg, latin Uodalricus, Old High German Uodalrîh, out in the Bishop of Augsburg list as Ulrich I, (* 890 in Wittislingen or Augsburg; † July 4, 973 in Augsburg) was 923-973 Bishop of Augsburg.
Merit he earned by the excellent defense of the city of Augsburg in times of Hungarian invasions in the 10th century. At the victory of King Otto I over the Hungarians at the Battle of Lechfeld ( 8 to 10 August 955 ), he had an enormous stake. Bishop Ulrich tape enemy forces near the city. He is in many representations as the first in a canonization process ( canonization ) confirmed saints. Pope John XV. should the result have notarized on February 3, 993, but the wording of the deed is delivered only in the context of later copies.
Church History circumstances of the time
Ulrich took over the diocese of Augsburg in the year 923 by appointment by the East Frankish King Henry I.. The diocese suffered at that time under the frequent incursions of the Hungarians into the Reich. Because of this constant threat Ulrich initiated the construction of a protective wall ring instead of existing palisade around the city. His also state obligations as bishop of the respective rulers against Ulrich came to exemplary. He was one of their consultants and was also a missionary.
Life
Ulrich was the son of Gaugrafen Hupald of Dillingen. He came from the noble family of Hupaldinger, the ancestor of the Counts of Dillingen. His mother Dietburga (also Thietburga ) came from a German royal house (according Pupikofer she was the daughter of Burchard from the House of Burchadinger ). His father was preparing an ecclesiastical career for him and sent him to the Abbey of St. Gallen, where Ulrich von studied 900 to 908. After a stint as treasurer of his uncle, Bishop of Augsburg Adalbero, he retired 909 back after his death on the parents' estates. Intercessions with the king caused that made vacant by the death of Bishop Hiltin Office Bishop of Augsburg he was given 14 years later. On December 28, 923 his episcopal ordination took place.
Ulrich led a strong policy and stood by the German kings Henry I and Otto I in high esteem. He was able to prevail against Duke Arnulf, who then wanted to transfer the right to monasteries dedication to the Secular, and let Augsburg in 926 fix during the invasions of the Hungarians. Above all, he is considered a close confidant and companion of Otto I. So Ulrich is at least fifteen times in the wake of Otto detectable.
He took his pastoral duties seriously and also the government and strengthened the mission work with clergy and people. He took care of monasteries and supported the poor. On the organization of the liturgy he took strong influence.
In Liudolfinischen revolt ( 952-954 ) Ulrich slapped the side of the king, although at that time quite Swabia, Franconia and Bavaria fell away from the king. Later he was able to convey a truce between Otto I and his rebellious son Liudolf together with the Bishop of Chur Hartbertstrasse.
In August 955 the Hungarians, who then moved throughout Europe, also reached Augsburg. They besieged the city, but failed in taking the city wall. Ulrich commander on horseback the defenders. The Hungarians talked in Umland pillaging harmless. They also destroyed the location outside the city church of St. Afra. Ulrich had to rebuild the church after the fighting ended. Even the cathedral in Augsburg and destroyed by the Hungarians monasteries and villages of his domain he was again erect and was temporarily abbot of the monastery of Kempten and the Ottobeuren monastery.
That it was Ulrich and Augsburgers managed to successfully fend off the superior attacker was crucially important to the triumphant victory of hurrying Otto on August 10, 955 at the Battle of Lechfeld over the Hungarians probably. After these battles, Ulrich finally rose into the upper layer of the powerful Germany. Well because these services Ulrich Otto received the privilege of coinage.
To 958 he donated from their own resources a shrine of gold and silver for the relics of St.. Mauritius. In 969 he founded the Augsburg Kanonissenstift St. Stephan.
From about 960 Ulrich began more and more in favor of his spiritual duties withdraw: 963 he gave the management of military and court service to his nephew Adalberto. In the following he devoted himself to the spiritual tasks: He went on a pilgrimage at least four times to Rome, from where he could also carry various sacred relics to Augsburg. He also traveled extensively through his diocese, preached himself, donated all the confirmation etc. All of this made him very popular with the people.
According to medieval source, the anonymous author of Herrieden (around 1075 ), he buried his friend, the bishop of Eichstätt 966 Star Chand in Eichstätt.
971 Ulrich went a step further and transferred the administration of the diocese and all the mundane tasks of the bishop to Adalbero. In September 972, he failed with the intention to transfer also the episcopate itself to that and retire into monastic life, the veto of the Emperor. On July 4, 973 Ulrich died in Augsburg and was buried in the rebuilt church of St. Afra in Augsburg.
Ulrich, who was probably the most influential German cleric during his lifetime, wrote after his death history: One later historiographical tradition according to which he is supposed to be on February 3, 993, that is less than twenty years after his death, was canonized at a Roman synod of Pope. Such a formal canonization procedure is otherwise not known from this period. Ulrich was possibly the first to be canonised by a pope in person. Among the trade scholars there is disagreement about the credibility of this tradition. For a saint worship a formal canonization ( canonization ) by the Pope was not considered necessary in the 11th century.
The memory of his ascetic life, his charity and piety soon led it to a veneration as a saint of the people who spread over large parts of Europe. Especially in Augsburg, but otherwise in southern Germany, his name was as a first name in the late Middle Ages most popular. 1575 wrote Johann species that Augsburg were all called Urli ( " Ulrich" ).
Worship
Christianity
The religious worship Ulrichs had already begun shortly after his funeral. Immediately after his death, he is already being called sanctus and revered. Even during his lifetime he had erected on the south side of the newly built Afrakirche his tomb after his death was immediately a popular place of pilgrimage for many believers.
His Roman Catholic feast day is day of his death, July 4 (not optional memorial in the regional calendar for the German language area ). In the Diocese of Augsburg, this day is celebrated as the Solemnity ( " Ulrichstag "). Until the kingdom in 1803, this day was also the " National Day " of the Bishopric of Augsburg. Ulrich is one of the three patrons of the city and diocese of Augsburg. In the Alpine countries blessings for severe weather will be held on this day, which is why the " Ulrichstag " in Austria is also called " Alpensegentag ".
Ulrich's Memorial Day in the Protestant calendar name of the Evangelical Church in Germany is also 4th of July. (For Evangelical Lutheran Holy commemorate see Augsburg Confession, Article 21 )
The farmer's rule for its Memorial Day is: rain on Saint -Ulrich - day makes the pears fusty mad.
Ulrich is the saint of travelers, hikers, fishermen, weavers, winemaker and dying. He is called in severe birth, against fever, body weakness, mania and rabies, rat and mice infestations, water hazards and flooding.
The Ulrich week is marked annually in honor of St. Ulrich and commemorates the Battle of Lechfeld in 955, at the intercession of Ulrichs onslaught of " pagan " cavalry was repulsed on the Christian West.
Buildings were named after him as Ulrichskirchen or Ulrich fountain.
Voodoo
In Haitian Voodoo Ortisei is worshiped in the form of Loa Agwe; this is a case of syncretism.
Iconography
Ulrich is represented by the regalia of a bishop and a fish. Legend has it that he had given a emissaries on a Friday a piece of roast his table as provision for the way back. When the messenger wanted to prove to his master, the Duke of Bavaria, the outrage Friday Commandment by showing the piece of meat, this was transformed into a fish.
Even the so-called Ulrich Cross serves the faithful for the detection of St. Ulrich.
Swell
- Gerhard of Augsburg: Vita Sancti Uodalrici. The oldest biography of St. Ulrich. University Press C. Winter, Heidelberg 1993, ISBN 3-8253-0018-8 ( Editiones Heidelbergenses; 24).
- Grandaur, George: Life Oudalrichs, Bishop of Augsburg. European history Verlag, Paderborn, 2011, ISBN 978-3-86382-148-7