St. Wendelin

Good evening. Today's Saint was requested by James in reference to a Church in Fostoria, Ohio, dedicated to this heavenly advocate. Thanks, Jim - I enjoy a challenge!

St. Wendelin was born around the middle of the sixth century. His earliest biographies were not written until about 800 years after his death, so it is difficult to know how much of his story is truth and how much is legend. Wendelin is probably not even his real name as the name means "wanderer" or "pilgrim" in Old High German.

Wendelin was the son of a Scottish king and is said to have been a very pious child. As a youth, he ran away from home to go on pilgrimage to Rome. He never returned to Scotland. On his return trip from Rome, he settled as a hermit in the Diocese of Trier in Germany. A wealthy landowner criticized him for his idle lifestyle, so he went into service for the landowner as a herdsman. He often took his flock to a mountain to pray. Upon finding Wendelin praying on the mountain one day, the landowner became angry believing that he did not have time to get the flock home before sunset. However, when the master returned home, he found Wendelin and the flock already there. Recognizing this as a miracle, the master granted Wendelin's wish for his own hermitage in the vicinity of the farm. He then established a company of hermits from which sprang the Benedictine Abbey of Tholey in Saarland.

He died about 617 and was buried in his cell. A chapel was built over his grave. His intercession was sought in times of pestilence and contagious diseases among cattle. He is the patron saint of country people and herdsmen and is still venerated in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and South Africa (and Fostoria, Ohio). His feast day is October 22.