Beatus of Lungern
Encyclopedia
Beatus of Lungern, known also by the honorific Apostle of Switzerland or as Beatus of Beatenberg or Beatus of Thun, was a probably legendary monk
and hermit
of early Christianity
, and is revered as a saint
. Though his legend states that he died in the 2nd century, it is likely that his story has been conflated with other saints of the same name
, especially Beatus of Vendôme
, and an Abbot Beatus who received a charter in 810 from Charlemagne
to confirm that Honau
Abbey would be administered by Irish monks
.
king, other legends place his birth in Ireland
. Beatus was a convert
, baptized
in England
by Saint Barnabas
. He was allegedly ordained a priest in Rome
by Saint Peter the Apostle
, whereupon he was sent with a companion named Achates to evangelize the tribe of the Helvetii
. The two set up a camp in Argovia
near the Jura Mountains
, where they converted many of the locals.
Beatus then ventured south to the mountains above Lake Thun
, taking up a hermitage in a cave, where he spent the rest of his life. Tradition states that this cave is where he fought a dragon
. He died at an old age in 112.
. The cultus of Beatus was widespread in the Middle Ages
and survived even the hostility of the Reformation
period when pilgrim
s were driven back from his cave at spear-point by Zwingli
an Protestants. After this period of turmoil, Beatus' relics, and the focus of his cultus, were transferred to the chapel at Lungern
, Obwalden
. The mountain where he resided until his death is still a place of pilgrimage, and bears his name: Beatenberg.
probably more justly deserves this honor.
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
and hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
of early Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, and is revered as a saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
. Though his legend states that he died in the 2nd century, it is likely that his story has been conflated with other saints of the same name
Beatus
Beatus, meaning blessed in Medieval Latin, may mean:*a term in the Catholic Church for a person who has been beatified, the stage before being declared a saint.* A copy of the Commentary on the Apocalypse, Beatus, meaning blessed in Medieval Latin, may mean:*a term in the Catholic Church for a...
, especially Beatus of Vendôme
Bienheuré
Saint Bienheuré is a semi-legendary saint of Vendôme. Tradition states that he lived in a cave near the town. Like Saint George, he is said to have fought a dragon. His legend was conflated with that of Beatus of Lungern.-Legend:...
, and an Abbot Beatus who received a charter in 810 from Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
to confirm that Honau
Honau, Switzerland
Honau is a municipality in the district of Lucerne in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland.-Geography:Honau has an area of . Of this area, 68.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 19.2% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 9.6% is settled and the remainder is non-productive...
Abbey would be administered by Irish monks
Hiberno-Scottish mission
The Hiberno-Scottish mission was a mission led by Irish and Scottish monks which spread Christianity and established monasteries in Great Britain and continental Europe during the Middle Ages...
.
Life
While legend claims that he was the son of a ScottishScottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
king, other legends place his birth in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Beatus was a convert
Conversion to Christianity
Conversion to Christianity is the religious conversion of a previously non-Christian person to some form of Christianity. It has been called the foundational experience of Christian life...
, baptized
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
by Saint Barnabas
Barnabas
Barnabas , born Joseph, was an Early Christian, one of the earliest Christian disciples in Jerusalem. In terms of culture and background, he was a Hellenised Jew, specifically a Levite. Named an apostle in , he and Saint Paul undertook missionary journeys together and defended Gentile converts...
. He was allegedly ordained a priest in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
by Saint Peter the Apostle
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
, whereupon he was sent with a companion named Achates to evangelize the tribe of the Helvetii
Helvetii
The Helvetii were a Celtic tribe or tribal confederation occupying most of the Swiss plateau at the time of their contact with the Roman Republic in the 1st century BC...
. The two set up a camp in Argovia
Aargau
Aargau is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. It comprises the lower course of the river Aare, which is why the canton is called Aar-gau .-History:...
near the Jura Mountains
Jura mountains
The Jura Mountains are a small mountain range located north of the Alps, separating the Rhine and Rhone rivers and forming part of the watershed of each...
, where they converted many of the locals.
Beatus then ventured south to the mountains above Lake Thun
Lake Thun
Lake Thun is an Alpine lake in the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland. It took its name from the city of Thun, on its northern shore.Lake Thun's approximately 2,500 km² large catchment area frequently causes local flooding after heavy rainfalls...
, taking up a hermitage in a cave, where he spent the rest of his life. Tradition states that this cave is where he fought a dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
. He died at an old age in 112.
Veneration
Beatus is primarily remembered as the first apostle to SwitzerlandSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The cultus of Beatus was widespread in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
and survived even the hostility of the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
period when pilgrim
Pilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
s were driven back from his cave at spear-point by Zwingli
Huldrych Zwingli
Ulrich Zwingli was a leader of the Reformation in Switzerland. Born during a time of emerging Swiss patriotism and increasing criticism of the Swiss mercenary system, he attended the University of Vienna and the University of Basel, a scholarly centre of humanism...
an Protestants. After this period of turmoil, Beatus' relics, and the focus of his cultus, were transferred to the chapel at Lungern
Lungern
Lungern is a municipality in the canton of Obwalden in Switzerland. Lungerersee is located within the municipality.-Geography: The village of Lungern lies above sea level in the highest part of the canton of Obwalden, on the lake of Lungern and at the foot of the Brünig Pass...
, Obwalden
Obwalden
Obwalden is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population is 33,997 of which 4,043 are foreigners. Its capital is Sarnen. The canton contains the geographical centre of Switzerland.-History:...
. The mountain where he resided until his death is still a place of pilgrimage, and bears his name: Beatenberg.
Historicity
The earliest recorded accounts of St. Beatus' life date no earlier than the 10th and mid-11th centuries and have not been historically authenticated. So, some would hesitate to endorse the tradition that calls St. Beatus the "Apostle of Switzerland". Indeed, Saint GallSaint Gall
Saint Gall, Gallen, or Gallus was an Irish disciple and one of the traditionally twelve companions of Saint Columbanus on his mission from Ireland to the continent. Saint Deicolus is called an older brother of Gall.-Biography:...
probably more justly deserves this honor.