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| Arnold of Soissons | |
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 St. Arnold of Soissons is often depicted with a bishop's mitre and a mashing rake. |
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| Bishop | |
| Born | 1040, Tiegem, Flanders |
| Died | 1087 |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Feast | 8 July |
| Attributes | As a bishop, with a mashing rake |
| Patronage | hop-pickers, beer brewing |
Arnold (Arnoul) of Soissons or Arnold or Arnulf of Oudenburg1 (ca 1040 — 1087) is a saint of the Roman Catholic Church, the patron saint of hop-pickers and Belgian brewers.
Arnold, born in Brabant, the son of a certain Fulbertus2 was first a career soldier before settling at the Benedictine St. Medard's Abbey, Soissons, France. He spent his first three years as a hermit, but later rose to be abbot of the monastery. His hagiography states that he tried to refuse this honor and flee—a standard literary trope (compare Jiménez de Cisneros)— but was forced by a wolf3 to return. He then became a priest and in 1080, bishop of Soissons, another honor that he sought to avoid. When his see was occupied by another bishop, rather than fighting, he took the opportunity to retire from public life, founding the Abbey of St. Peter in Oudenburg.4
At the abbey, he began to brew beer, as essential in medieval life as water. He encouraged local peasants to drink beer, instead of water, due to its "gift of health." During the process of brewing, the water was boiled and thus, unknown to all, freed of pathogens. This same story is also told of Arnulf or Arnold of Metz, another patron of brewers. There are many depictions of St. Arnold with a mashing rake in his hand, to identify him. He is honored in July with a parade in Brussels on the "Day of Beer."
Miracles that were reported at his tomb were investigated and approved by a council at Beauvais in 1121; Arnold's relics were translated to the church of Saint Peter, Aldenburg in 1131.5 St. Arnold's feast day is 8 July.
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See also
- Arnulf of Metz - another patron saint of brewers
References
- ^ Arnold has no connection with Oudenaarde, where several barons bore the name Arnulphus of Oudenaarde.
- ^ "a gentleman of Brabant" according to John McClintock, Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature 1889 s.v. "Arnulph (St.)"; "a French nobleman" according to Alban Butler, Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Other Principal Saints" (1866), s.v. "Arnoul, or Arnuphus, C.".
- ^ Arnulf signifies "[noble] eagle-wolf".
- ^ At Oudenburg he is known as Arnold of Oudenburg; the abbey was demolished at the time of the French Revolution.
- ^ Patronm Saints Index: Saint Arnulf of Soissons
- Anneke B. Mulder-Bakker, The Invention of Saintliness, p. 58
- H. Claeys, Saint Arnold. Évêque de Soissons Apôtre de la Flandre. Fondateur de l`Abbaye d`Oudenbourg. 1889.
External links
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