Saint of the Day: St. Wolfgang, Bishop and Reformer




Born in Swabia, Germany, St. Wolfgang studied at Reichenau under the Benedictines and at Wurzburg before serving as a teacher in the cathedral school of Trier. He soon entered the Benedictines at Einsiedeln (964) and was appointed head of the monastery school, receiving ordination in 971. He then set out with a group of monks to preach among the Magyars of Hungary, but the following year (972) was named bishop of Regensburg by Emperor Otto II (r. 973-983).

As bishop, he distinguished himself brilliantly for his reforming zeal and his skills as a statesman. He brought the clergy of the diocese into his reforms, restored monasteries, promoted education, preached enthusiastically, and was renowned for his charity and aid to the poor, receiving the title Eleemosynarius Major (Grand Almoner). He also served as tutor to Emperor Henry II (r. 1014-1024) while he was still king. Wolfgang died at the village of Pupping in upper Austria, on October 31, 994.
He was canonized in 1052 by Pope St. Leo IX (r. 1049-1054).

Patronage: carpenters, paralyzed people, paralysis; stomach diseases, stroke victims, strokes, diocese of Regensburg, Germany

Representation: church; hatchet

Sources: Catholic Online, Catholic Forum, Catholic Encylopedia.
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