Saint Colman of Stockerau
Saint Colman of Stockerau (died July 13, 1012 AD in Stockerau, Lower Austria, Austria) was an Irish or Scottish pilgrim who was mistaken for a spy and lynched at Stockerau in Austria while on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. After his death, miracles were attributed to his intercession and his body was found incorrupt. He became the patron saint of Austria and of pilgrims. His feast day is October 13.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Colman of Stockerau
| Saint Colman of Stockerau | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | October 13 |
| Profession | Pilgrim; layman; martyr |
| Rel. Affiliation | Roman Catholic Church |
| Patronage | Austria; pilgrims; travelers; those falsely accused |
| Attributes | Pilgrim's staff and scrip; rope (instrument of his death); shamrock (his Irish/Scottish origin) |
| Birthplace | Ireland or Scotland (uncertain) |
| Death Place | Stockerau, Lower Austria, Austria |
| Cause of Death | Martyrdom; lynched by mob who mistook him for a spy |
| Primary Shrine | Melk Abbey, Melk, Lower Austria — his relics translated here in 1014; a major Baroque monastery and pilgrimage site on the Danube |
| Liturgical Class | Not included in universal Roman Calendar; feast in Austria and Stockerau |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Colman was a young pilgrim, probably Irish or Scottish (the sources are uncertain), who set out on pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1012 AD. He passed through Bavaria and entered the Margraviate of Austria. Near the town of Stockerau on the Danube, he was apprehended by local people. Because he spoke a strange language (Gaelic), dressed unusually, and carried unfamiliar objects (possibly pilgrim's paraphernalia), he was suspected of being a spy for the Moravian enemies of the Austrians. He could not make himself understood. He was imprisoned, tortured to extract a confession, and hanged.
The body was left on the gallows. For eighteen months, no bird or animal disturbed it — despite being left exposed to the elements. When it was eventually taken down, the body was found incorrupt. This was taken as a divine sign of his holiness. Miracles began to be attributed to his intercession.
In 1014, Margrave Henry I of Babenberg (Austria) had the relics translated to Melk Abbey (then the ruling family's principal monastery) with great ceremony. Pope John XIX recognized the cult. Colman became the patron saint of Austria — a position he held for centuries before being joined by Saint Leopold III as the Austrian co-patron.
Melk Abbey, rebuilt in its famous Baroque form in the 18th century, preserves his relics. It is one of the most visited monuments in Austria.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Ireland or Scotland (uncertain)
Death location: Stockerau, Lower Austria, Austria
Notable location: The town where he was killed; site of his shrine in the Church of Saint Colman (Koloman) (Stockerau, Lower Austria, Austria)
Notable location: The great Benedictine abbey on the Danube where his relics were translated in 1014 at the behest of Margrave Henry I of Austria; one of Austria's most famous monasteries (Melk Abbey, Lower Austria, Austria)
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Melk Abbey, Melk, Lower Austria — his relics are preserved in the great Baroque abbey on the Danube; a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- Stiftskirche Stockerau, Stockerau — a church in the town of his martyrdom.
Feast day
October 13
Veneration
Saint Colman of Stockerau is venerated in Austria with a feast day on October 13. He is the patron of Austria alongside Saint Leopold.
Prayers
Authored
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Intercessory
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