Weather – If it is fine on
St. Gall's day, it will be fine up to Christmas.
On St. Gall’s day, expect a
late summer (Indian summer).
A dry St. Gall’s day
betokens a dry summer.
After St. Gall, keep your
cow in the stall
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At Arbon, in Switzerland, St. Gall, abbot, disciple of blessed Columban.
Gall, or Gallus (c550 –
c645), an Irish missionary trained in the school of St. Comgall in Bangor,
accompanied St. Columbanus on his journey to the continent, stopping first in
the dominions of Burgundy where they worked for the next twenty years and
established three foundations, including that of Luxeuil. The enmity of Queen Brunhild of
Burgundy sent Columbanus into exile, and several of his monks, Gallus among
them, elected to stay with him. In
an effort to skirt Burgundian lands and reach Italy, they made the long,
arduous journey up the Rhine into Switzerland.
Halting for a time at Lake Constance,
they preached and evangelized, sometimes a little violently. Here they burned places of idolatrous
worship and tossed the offerings into the lake. Finding a large vat full of beer that had been dedicated to
the chief god, Columbanus cracked the vat and let all the beer flow away [a story which strikes the Widow to the heart]. As you might imagine, this was not very
popular, and a plot was formed to kill Gallus and flog Columbanus. Fortunately for them, the planned
action did not succeed. Columbanus
cleansed the pagan temple near Bregenz and dedicated it as a church, with a
monastery attached, where he and his missionaries lived and preached. Gallus, among his other duties, was
assigned the occupation of making nets and fishing.
In 612, Columbanus and most
of his companions moved on to Milan, possibly because the fratricidal wars of
the Frankish kings and the temporary success of the Burgundians made staying in
Bregenz dangerous to him. Gallus, who
was suffering from a fever, stayed behind and resided with a priest friend in nearby Arbon, who
cared for him until he was fully recovered. Thereafter, he decided to retire to a solitary place and
devote himself to the conversion of the pagan tribes inhabiting the area. With help from his friend (or because
he fell into a thorn bush and considered it a sign from heaven), he found a
spot there in the forests to the southwest of Arbon near the River Steinach,
where he built a small oratory and small cells for himself and twelve companions
who had followed him, and who he trained assiduously to evangelize the
surrounding population.
Renowned for his superior
knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, his wisdom, humility, charity towards the
poor, and singular sanctity, he was the first choice of the people when the see
of Constance became vacant. Wishing
not to be involved in the cares of this world, he refused, instead suggesting
one of his own disciples as a more suitable candidate, being a native of the
area. This man was accepted and consecrated
as bishop, with Gallus preaching the sermon. Thereafter, he advised and counseled the bishop for many
years.
Some ten years later, the
monks of his old home at the monastery of Luxeuil wished to elect him as their
superior, but again, he stressed his desire for solitude, and refused to leave
his chosen retreat.
He is said to have died at
the age of 95 years on a visit to his friend in Arbon, and was buried in his
hermitage where a small church was erected under his patronage. This developed through time into the
great Abbey of Saint Gall and the town of St. Gallen in Switzerland.
“That he was an assiduous
preacher of the Gospel is well known; and his exertions both in that line, and
in forming disciples capable of instructing the people, were such that he has
been called the apostle of Switzerland.”
Artwork:
Statue of Saint Gall. The bear accompanying him comes from a
story that when the saint and his companions searched through the woods below
Arbon for a suitable place of retreat, Gallus commanded the bear to fetch wood
for their evening fire. Another
story says that the bear carried the wood used to build the little oratory.
