Saint Corbinian
Saint Corbinian (born c. 680 AD in Châtres, Île-de-France, France; died September 8, 730 AD in Freising, Bavaria, Germany) was a Frankish bishop who became the first Bishop of Freising in Bavaria and the apostle of the Bavarian heartland. He is the patron of the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising. The bear of the Freising coat of arms — which became the bear in the coat of arms of Pope Benedict XVI — refers to a legend of Saint Corbinian. His feast day is September 8.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Corbinian
| Saint Corbinian | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | September 08 |
| Profession | Hermit; bishop; missionary; first Bishop of Freising |
| Rel. Affiliation | Roman Catholic Church; Archdiocese of Munich and Freising |
| Patronage | Archdiocese of Munich and Freising; Freising; Bavaria; bears (from the miracle legend) |
| Attributes | Bishop's vestments; bear carrying a load (the miracle); loaded packhorse |
| Birthplace | Châtres (near Melun), Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France, France |
| Death Place | Freising, Bavaria, Germany |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes; died at his episcopal see |
| Primary Shrine | Freising Cathedral (Cathedral of Mary and Saint Corbinian), Freising, Bavaria — his relics in the crypt; the Romanesque crypt is one of Bavaria's oldest and finest |
| Liturgical Class | Not included in universal Roman Calendar; observed in Archdiocese of Munich and Freising |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Corbinian was born in the Île-de-France around 680 AD and from his youth desired the eremitic life. He lived as a hermit for fourteen years at Châtres near Melun, gathering disciples. He traveled twice to Rome: on the first occasion (around 710 AD), he presented himself to Pope Gregory II hoping to live as a hermit; the Pope instead sent him as a missionary bishop to Bavaria.
He settled at Freising on the River Isar north of Munich, and with the support of Duke Grimoald of Bavaria established his episcopal see there. He evangelized the surrounding region, but also entered into conflict with Duke Grimoald over the duke's marriage to his own sister-in-law Pilitrud (which Corbinian regarded as incestuous). His rebuke earned him the enmity of Pilitrud.
He was forced to flee Bavaria for a time to Merano in the South Tyrol, but was eventually able to return to Freising and died there on September 8, 730.
The legend of the bear is the best-remembered detail of his life: a bear killed his pack horse on the Alpine crossing to Rome, and Corbinian commanded it to carry his baggage instead; it obeyed. This miracle gave the Diocese of Freising its coat of arms — a laden bear — which Pope Benedict XVI incorporated into his own episcopal coat of arms when he became Archbishop of Munich and Freising in 1977, and later retained as his papal arms.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Châtres (near Melun), Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France, France
Death location: Freising, Bavaria, Germany
Notable location: His episcopal see as first Bishop of Freising; his relics enshrined in the crypt of the cathedral; the cathedral of the archdiocese that produced Pope Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger was ordained here) (Freising Cathedral, Freising, Bavaria, Germany)
Notable location: He traveled to Rome twice seeking to live as a hermit; Pope Gregory II instead commissioned him as a missionary bishop for Bavaria (Rome, Italy)
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Freising Cathedral, Freising, Bavaria — the Romanesque crypt houses his relics; one of the oldest cathedral crypts in Bavaria.
Feast day
September 8
Veneration
Saint Corbinian is venerated in the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising with a feast day on September 8. His bear-legend inspired the coat of arms of Pope Benedict XVI.
Prayers
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