A Little Bit of Everything

Several years ago when our children were young, Michael decided they all needed to take on a German name as he often spoke to them in German.  Most of the children chose names that were similar to their own, except for one of our children who randomly (or may not so random) chose Wolfgang.  We soon found out that this name would become much more in our family.

St. Wolfgang

Feast Day: October 31
Born:  934
Death:  994
Patron:  against apoplexy, paralysis, stomach diseases and strokes; and for carpenters
Germany

Wolfgang is actually quite an interesting man.  He had an uneventful childhood growing up in a family of nobles.  He was called to the assistance of his childhood tutor, who had become a bishop, to teach in the cathedral school.  He was very involved in reforming the structure of the diocese in spite of opposition.

After the death of the bishop in 964, Wolfgang entered the Benedictine order in Switzerland, and was ordained priest by Saint Ulrich in 968.  After the death of the bishop in 964, Wolfgang entered the Benedictine order in Switzerland and was ordained priest by Saint Ulrich in 968.

At the request of Ulrich and at the desire of the Emperor Otto the Great, Wolfgang, was "sent to the [pagan]  Hungarians" as the most suitable man to evangelize them.

By 972, Wolfgang would be placed in the position of bishop in Regensburg.  In addition to this role, Wolfgang became the tutor of Emperor Saint Henry II, who learned from him the principles which governed his saintly and energetic life (I will not write about this saint until next July, along with St. Ulrich!).  He would also tutor other nobles of the day.

Among other duties, Wolfgang worked to streamline the order of his diocese.  He would also spend much of this time reforming the monasteries and convents within the diocese.  He willing gave up a portion of his large diocese to create a new diocese adjacent to his in Prague.  He then spent time at court advising the emperor in matters of importance, going so far as to accompanying the emperor on his military advancements.

Wolfgang spent the last years of his life as a hermit.  He was discovered by a huntsman and encouraged to return to society; however, he grew ill along the journey and died upon entering a small chapel in Austria.

St. Wolfgang is generally depicted with an ax in the right hand and the bishop's crosier in the left, or as a hermit in the wilderness being discovered by a hunter.

The axe refers to an incident in the life of the saint. After having selected a solitary spot in the wilderness, he prayed and then threw his ax into the thicket; the spot on which the ax fell he regarded as the place where God intended he should build his cell. This ax is still shown in the little market town of St. Wolfgang which sprang up on the spot of the old cell.

Saint Wolfgang is sometimes counted among the Fourteen Holy Helpers.  A group of saints revered in early times as particularly aiding Christians.

St. Wolfgang, pray for us!