Gangolf

Saint Gangolf also called Gingolf , Gengon , Gengoult or Gangulfus (Gangulphus), died in 760 is a character venerated in the Catholic church like martyr, but of which the life is known by the legend and the tradition that by the history. The only document which remained being a contract written under Pépin the Brief, towards 762, mentioning the existence of Gangolf of Burgundy.

Hagiography

Gangolf was born with Varennes-on-Amance, close to Langres, in 702, of a family of rich person landowners. His/her parents undertook his education. As of its youth it had the reputation of a pious man, far away from temptations, of a great honesty, widely distributing alms to the poor.

As one of the principal barons of Burgundy, it took an active part in the wars carried out by Pépin the Brief between 715 and 768 and its bravery made him grant high military dignities. However, it always preserved, in the middle of the life of the camps, its piety and its honest spiritual.

With died his parents, he inherited large goods which he managed with wisdom. Monseigneur Guerin, one of his biographers affirmed: “ Bien far from dissipating, by criminal or superfluous expenditure, them good that his/her parents left him, it managed them with as much prudence and of wisdom that if he had been an old man consumed in the art of the economy and the government domesticates”

Gangolf Maria towards the 20 years age. He married an young girl of high line, but this one was extremely unsteady: “ it was appropriate to him little speak qualities about the spirit and the heart; it was pious, and it was libertine; he liked the prayer, and she liked only the play and the pleasures of society; he fled the luxury and vanity, and she wanted to always be vêtue superbly to attract on her the eyes of the men lascifs; finally, it was pure, and she was impudic… ”

In spite of the patience and affectionate objurgations of her husband, this one wanted nothing to change with its control. Gangolf was withdrawn then in a hermitage close to Avallon where it carried out a life of austerity, offering all its fortune to the poor. It is there that the lover of his wife, who would have been priest, surprised it nuitamment and killed it out of a blow of sword.

Gangolf accepted the last sacraments then and died on May 11th 760, while its assassin and his adulterous wife died them-also very quickly.

Veneration

Immediately after its death, holy Gangolf was venerated, and of the pilgrimages organized themselves in France, but also in Germany and Belgium, in places where some of its relics were brought. Of Avallon its remainders were transported to Varennes in large pump: “ What made this undertaking extremely bright, it was that Saint Gengon made appear, by several miracles, glory and the credit which its heart enjoyed already in the skies. ” (monseigneur Jacques-Antoine Guerin).

Later, the remainders of the saint martyr were transported in the cathedral of Langres. But various parts of these relics were detached.

The church of Rémérangles kept until in 1793 a fragment of arm of the saint. The Pope Alexandre VII granted plenary indulgences to faithful which would go to this place. But these relics disappeared in 1789.

In 1843, the priest of Fay obtained from the bishop of Langres a new relic, which solemnly was transferred in the church from Rémérangles on May 11th 1843.

Miracles

One day, Gangolf, passing in the area of Bassigny discovered a fountain which he wanted to buy at once. Its people were astonished that he wants to buy a source which was extremely distant from its place of dwelling. Of return to Varennes, the saint inserted his stick in the ground, at once a source spouts out, while that of Bassigny was dried up suddenly. It is in remembering this miracle that holy Gangolf is often represented with a stick with the hand. The water of this fountain was considered to be miraculous and a vault was set up in this place. In 1858, the priest of Varennes wrote: “ Bon many still existing people saw, suspended with the walls of the crypt, the crutches and the ex-votos, which disappeared at the time of the Revolution ”

Gangolf did not want to accept the misconduct of his wife if a divine sign did not persuade it. He asked him to soak the arm in spring water, and, when it withdrew it, all its skin had been detached some. In front of this proof, it did not reproach him anything, but left to take refuge in a hermitage close to Avallon on a ground which it had.

Patronage

Its festival was fixed at the May 11th .

He is the owner of the misled husbands, of the marital difficulties, but also of the shoe-makers and the tanners.

Bibliography - Sources

Life of Saint Gengon - abbot H. Blond - 1887.
Life of Saint Gengon - Monseigneur Guerin

External bonds

Gengulphus
Life of Gangolf Saint according to the preserved bibliographical elements
Article of Fabio Arduino of May 7th, 2005

See too

a village located on the border free-Switzerland, Saint-Gingolph would have been rested by this saint.
Of the relics of Gangolf saint is in the church of Bamberg in Germany, but its representation would rather make think of this homonymous saint, soldier, belonging to the martyrs of the Massacre of the legion thebaine in 286.

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