Saint Adalgott
Saint Adalgott (also known as Adalgot or Adalcott; born c. 1100 AD; died October 3, 1160 AD) was a Cistercian monk who became the Bishop of Chur (Coira) in the Graubünden (Grisons) canton of present-day Switzerland, the oldest diocese in what is now Swiss territory. He was a disciple of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, the great Cistercian reformer, and brought the spirit of Cistercian monasticism into his episcopal ministry. He is venerated as a holy bishop and confessor whose feast is observed on October 3.
Saint Adalgott is sometimes identified with Adalgott I of Chur (there was also an Adalgott II who served later in the same century). He represents the type of reform bishop of the twelfth century — learned, ascetic, committed to the ideals of the Gregorian and Cistercian reform movements, and devoted to the pastoral care of his flock.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Adalgott
| Saint Adalgott | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | October 03 |
| Profession | Bishop of Chur; Cistercian monk |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Cistercian Order |
| Patronage | Diocese of Chur |
| Attributes | Bishop's vestments; Cistercian habit; crozier |
| Birthplace | Rhaetia or German territories (precise location unknown) |
| Death Place | Chur (Coira), Graubünden, Switzerland |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes; confessor bishop |
| Primary Shrine | Chur Cathedral (Kathedrale St. Mariä Himmelfahrt), Chur, Switzerland |
| Liturgical Class | Not included |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Birth
Saint Adalgott was born around 1100 AD in the Alpine region of the Holy Roman Empire — possibly in Rhaetia (the area now comprising eastern Switzerland and western Austria) or in the German lands. The diocese of Chur was one of the most ancient in the region, its origins stretching back to the late Roman period, and its bishop exercised authority over a substantial Alpine territory.
Early Life
Adalgott became a Cistercian monk, drawn by the great reforming movement that Saint Bernard of Clairvaux had ignited throughout Europe in the first half of the twelfth century. Clairvaux Abbey, founded by Bernard in 1115, was the mother house of dozens of daughter monasteries and the spiritual center of a pan-European renewal of monastic life. Adalgott was formed in this tradition of austere prayer, manual labor, and theological depth.
Occupation
Saint Adalgott was appointed Bishop of Chur — the oldest episcopal see in present-day Switzerland, traditionally dating to the fourth century. As bishop of Chur, he oversaw an Alpine diocese of great strategic importance straddling the major passes connecting the Italian peninsula to the German-speaking north. His episcopal ministry was shaped by the ideals of the Cistercian and Gregorian Reform: personal austerity, rigorous administration, and pastoral care.
Vocation
Saint Adalgott's vocation combined the contemplative spirituality of the Cistercian tradition with the active responsibilities of a reform bishop. In the twelfth century, the Cistercian ideal of simplicity and poverty was increasingly being brought to bear on the episcopate through the influence of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux — and Adalgott represents this Bernardine type of bishop in the Alpine Swiss context.
Death
Saint Adalgott died on October 3, 1160 AD, in Chur, having served as bishop of that ancient Alpine see for a significant period. He died peacefully as a confessor.
Saint Adalgott met his end peacefully in Chur on October 3, 1160, having served his diocese with the spirit of Cistercian holiness that his master Saint Bernard had taught him.
Significant events
- Born c. 1100 AD; became a Cistercian monk in the tradition of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux.
- Appointed Bishop of Chur, the oldest diocese in present-day Switzerland.
- Governed the Diocese of Chur with pastoral care and the spirit of Cistercian reform.
- Died October 3, 1160 AD; feast day observed on October 3.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: None
Death location: Chur (Coira), Graubünden, Switzerland
Notable location: His episcopal see; oldest diocese in present-day Switzerland (Chur (Coira), Graubünden, Switzerland)
Notable location: Cistercian abbey of Saint Bernard where he was formed (Clairvaux Abbey, Aube, France)
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Dynamic content
Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Saint Adalgott have been added to the database yet.
Media
No media found for this saint.
Shrines
Dynamic shrines
No results
No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
List of shrines
Chur Cathedral (Kathedrale St. Mariä Himmelfahrt), Chur, Graubünden, Switzerland
Chur Cathedral, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, is the principal church of the Diocese of Chur and the episcopal church in which Saint Adalgott served. The present Romanesque cathedral was built largely in the twelfth century — the very period of Adalgott's episcopate — and represents one of the finest examples of Romanesque church architecture in Switzerland. It remains the cathedral of the Bishop of Chur and an active place of Catholic worship.
- Location: Hof 19, 7000 Chur, Graubünden, Switzerland
- Diocese: Diocese of Chur
- Notable features: 12th-century Romanesque architecture (contemporary with Adalgott); altar triptych by artist Hans Holbein's circle; oldest diocese in Switzerland
Canonization
Servant of God
Saint Adalgott's recognition rests on ancient local tradition in the Diocese of Chur.
Venerable
Not applicable.
Beatification
Not applicable.
Canonization
Saint Adalgott is recognized through ancient local tradition in the Diocese of Chur.
Miracles
No specific miracles attributed to Saint Adalgott have been formally documented.
Miracle for beatification
Not applicable.
Miracle for canonization
Not applicable.
Other notable miracles
No specific miracles are recorded in available sources.
Patronage
Saint Adalgott is venerated as a patron of the Diocese of Chur.
Feast day
October 3
Veneration
Saint Adalgott is venerated in the Diocese of Chur and in the Swiss Catholic tradition as one of the holy bishops of the twelfth century. His feast is observed on October 3.
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
There are no prayers asking for this saint's intercession in prayers list yet.
Books
Written about the saint
- Helvetia Sacra (encyclopaedia of Swiss ecclesiastical history). Various volumes.
- Acta Sanctorum, October vol. II. Hagiographic collection.
Written by the saint
- No writings by Saint Adalgott have been identified.
External links
References
- Helvetia Sacra. Bern: Francke, 1972–ongoing.
- Acta Sanctorum, October II (October 3). Antwerp/Brussels, 1643–1940.