⛪ Saint Magnus of Füssen

 

Saint Magnus of Füssen, also known as Magnoald, Maginold, or Mang, was born in the late 6th or early 7th century, likely around 580–600 AD, though exact details of his birthplace and family remain uncertain. Historical records, primarily the Vita S. Magni (Life of Saint Magnus), suggest he may have been born in Ireland or the Arbon region of modern-day Switzerland. The Vita, written by his companion Theodore and later revised, is the primary source for his life but contains anachronisms, making some details speculative.

Magnus is believed to have been a disciple of Saint Columbanus and Saint Gall, two prominent Irish missionaries who spread Christianity across Europe. He likely trained under them at Arbon, where he served as a cleric alongside another companion, Theodore, under the guidance of a priest named Willimar. This early formation instilled in Magnus a deep commitment to missionary work and monastic discipline, preparing him for his future endeavors in the Allgäu region.

Missionary Work in the Allgäu

Magnus’s life took a pivotal turn when he joined the mission to evangelize the pagan tribes of the Allgäu, a rugged region in southern Germany. According to tradition, after Saint Gall fell ill and Columbanus continued to Italy to found Bobbio Abbey, Magnus remained with Gall. Following Columbanus’s death (c. 615 AD), Gall sent Magnus to pray at his grave in Bobbio, where Magnus received Columbanus’s staff as a relic, symbolizing his call to continue the missionary work. After Gall’s death (c. 627 AD), Magnus succeeded him as superior of their monastic cell, likely in the Arbon or St. Gallen area.

Around this time, a priest named Tozzo from the Diocese of Augsburg invited Magnus to evangelize the eastern Allgäu. Magnus traveled to Eptaticus (Epfach), where Bishop Wikterp of Augsburg entrusted him with Christianizing the region. Magnus ventured into the wilderness, crossing the River Lech at a site still known as St. Mangstritt (“footstep of Saint Magnus”). There, he built a small cell, which later became the foundation for St. Mang’s Abbey in Füssen, Bavaria, a key center of Christian life.

Extraordinary Encounters with Nature

Magnus’s missionary work is steeped in legends that highlight his spiritual authority and connection to nature. In Kempten, he is said to have dispersed a plague of snakes, protecting the local community. In Füssen, he encountered a dragon occupying land needed for his monastery. According to one version, Magnus expelled the dragon but spared its infant, which later helped farmers by hunting rats, mice, and other vermin. Another story tells of a bear that showed Magnus a vein of iron ore during a walk in the woods. In gratitude, Magnus shared cake with the bear, which then led him and his monks to additional iron ore sources, laying the foundation for the region’s prosperous mining industry. These tales, while likely symbolic, reflect Magnus’s reputation as a protector and benefactor of the Allgäu people.

Founding St. Mang’s Abbey

Magnus’s most enduring legacy is the establishment of St. Mang’s Abbey in Füssen, built on the site of his original cell. The abbey became a spiritual and cultural hub, fostering Christian education and community development. Magnus served as its first abbot, guiding monks in prayer, work, and missionary outreach. His leadership helped integrate Christianity into the Allgäu, converting many pagans and strengthening the Church’s presence in Bavaria.

The abbey preserved relics attributed to Magnus, including his staff, cross, and chalice, now housed in a glass cross above the main altar of the St. Mang Basilica in Füssen. A splinter of his breastbone, sent to St. Gallen in Switzerland and later returned, is among these cherished relics.

Death and Veneration

Magnus died around 666 AD (or possibly later, c. 722) at his monastery in Füssen, likely of natural causes. He was buried in the church he had built, and in 851 AD, his relics were transferred to a newly erected church under Bishop Lanto. The Vita S. Magni, reportedly found in a scarcely legible state during this transfer, was revised by monk Ermenrich of Ellwangen and later edited by Otloh of St. Emmeram in 1070. By 1100, however, his bones were reported missing, though his burial place remains visible in the crypt of St. Mang Basilica.

Magnus was venerated as a saint before the formal canonization process, recognized as a Pre-Congregation saint for his missionary work and holiness. His feast day is celebrated on September 6. He is the patron saint against caterpillars, hail, hailstorms, lightning, snakes, vermin, and for crop protection, reflecting his legendary encounters with nature. His influence is felt in Füssen, Kempten, and southern Germany, where he remains a beloved folk saint.

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