Gundecar, Bl.
GUNDECAR, BL.
Bishop of Eichstätt; b. Aug. 10, 1019; d. Eichstätt, Aug. 2, 1075. He was educated at Eichstätt cathedral school, was canon of Eichstätt cathedral, and c. 1045, was the chaplain of the Empress Agnes, under whose influence henry iv named Gundecar bishop of Eichstätt (1057). He devoted himself to diocesan affairs, notably education. For his clergy he prepared the so-called Gundecarianum, dealing with ritual and liturgy and containing a catalogue of Eichstätt's bishops, which was carried on by successors until 1697. It is important for its miniatures (11th–16th centuries). He undertook the building of the cathedral and consecrated more than 100 churches. Miracles at his grave led to his cult, which spread beyond the diocese after the translation of his relics in 1309.
Feast: Aug. 2.
Bibliography: gundecar, Liber pontificalis Eichstetensis, ed. l. c. bethmann and g. waitz, Monumenta Germaniae Scriptores (Berlin 1825–) 7:239–253; 25:590–609. Acta Sanctorum August 1:175–189. j. sax, Die Bischöfe und Reichsfürsten von Eichstädt, 745–1806, 2 v. (Landshut 1884–85) v. 1. f. heidingsfelder, Die Regesten der Bischöfe v. Eichstätt (Erlangen 1938). r. graber, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, ed. j. hofer and k. rahner, 10 v. (2d, new ed. Freiburg 1957–65) 4:1274.
[d. andreini]