FRIDOLIN OF SÄCKINGEN, ST.

Abbot, apostle of the Upper Rhine; b. Ireland; d. Säckingen, Germany, sixth or seventh century. Despite his noble Irish parentage, he exercised his sacerdotal ministry in Ireland by traveling from city to city, preaching the word of God. After crossing over to France, he continued his work as an itinerant preacher until he reached Poitiers, where he rediscovered the lost relics of St. hilary of poitiers. Upon resuming his journeys, he went to Strasbourg, Constance, and Chur (Switzerland), establishing churches along the way. A vision finally directed him to the uninhabited island of Säckingen in the Rhine, where he founded a monastery and built a church. He is buried there. His cult is popular in Germany, Switzerland, and Ireland.

Feast: Oct. 18.

Bibliography: Vita (a somewhat extravagant legend written c. 1000 by Balther), Acta Sanctorum March 1:429–440; rep. as Fridolin, der heilige Mann zwischen Alpen und Rhein…, ed. w. irtenkauf, tr. from the Late Middle High German by v. schupp (Sigmaringen 1983). f. jehle, Geschichte der Stadt Säckingen (Säckingen 1968). Monumenta Germaniae Scriptores rerum Merovingicarum (Berlin 1825–) 3: 350–369. j. l. baudot and l. chaussin, Vies des saints et des bienheueux selon l'ordre du calendrier avec l'historique des fêtes 12 v. (Paris 1935–56) 3:107–108. a. butler, The Lives of the Saints, ed. h. thurston and d. attwater, 4 v. (New York 1956) 1:499–500. h. bÜttner Die Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart, 7 v. (3rd ed. Tübingen 1957–65) 2:1132.

[o. l. kapsner]