Saint Alto of Altomunster
Saint Alto of Altomünster (born c. 700 AD in Ireland; died c. 760 AD in Altomünster, Bavaria, Holy Roman Empire) was an Irish monk who came to Bavaria in the 8th century, received land from King Pepin the Short, and founded the monastery of Altomünster near Munich. He is the patron of Altomünster and of the surrounding region. His feast day is February 9.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Alto of Altomunster
| Saint Alto of Altomunster | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | February 09 |
| Profession | Irish monk; hermit; founder and first abbot of Altomünster (Bavaria); peregrine monk (Irish wandering missionary tradition) |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Irish monastic tradition; Benedictine Order (founding tradition of Altomünster); Carolingian Bavarian church; 8th-century German Christianity |
| Patronage | Altomünster; the Dachau district of Bavaria; wandering monks; those who found monastic communities; Irish missionaries in Germany; Bavaria |
| Attributes | Irish monk's habit; abbot's crozier; a model of Altomünster monastery; pilgrim's staff (his journey from Ireland); the Irish cross; Bavarian landscape |
| Birthplace | Ireland |
| Death Place | Altomünster, Bavaria (Holy Roman Empire) |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; died c. 760 AD at the monastery of Altomünster in Bavaria; he had lived as a hermit and then as an abbot in Bavaria for many years; he founded the monastery of Altomünster with the support of King Pepin the Short and Saint Boniface (the Apostle of Germany); he is buried at Altomünster; he was approximately 60 years old |
| Primary Shrine | Monastery Church of Altomünster, Bavaria — his relics; February 9 feast; Bridgettine community still present; local pilgrimage |
| Liturgical Class | Optional Memorial (Roman Rite); February 9; Feast at Altomünster |
| Historic Class | Not in universal 1962 calendar; observed locally in Bavaria |
Biography
Alto was born c. 700 AD in Ireland. He was part of the great Irish peregrini tradition — monks who left Ireland to wander for Christ and preach the Gospel in foreign lands.
He came to Bavaria c. 743 AD and settled in the forest near what is now Altomünster in the Dachau district. He lived as a hermit and soon attracted disciples. He came to the attention of Saint Boniface, the Apostle of Germany, and of King Pepin the Short.
Pepin granted him land for a monastery. With this royal support he founded the monastery of Altomünster — Alto's Minster — which bears his name to this day. He served as its first abbot and lived there until his death c. 760 AD.
The monastery was later taken over by the Bridgettine Order (15th century) and remains today the only Bridgettine house in Bavaria, with continuous monastic life on the same site for over 1,250 years.
His feast is observed on February 9.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Ireland
Death location: Altomünster, Bavaria (Holy Roman Empire)
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Monastery Church of Altomünster, Bavaria — his relics; Bridgettine community; February 9 feast.
Feast day
February 9
Veneration
Saint Alto of Altomünster was an Irish peregrinus who founded the monastery of Altomünster near Munich in 8th-century Bavaria with support from King Pepin the Short. The monastery still stands — now a Bridgettine convent — with over 1,250 years of continuous monastic life. Feast February 9.
Prayers
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