Saint Gerlach
Encyclopedia
Saint Gerlach (d. ca. 1170 AD) was a 12th century Dutch
hermit
. His cult is centered at Valkenburg aan de Geul
.
The Vita Beati Gerlaci Eremytae, written around 1227, describes his legend and life. Originally a licentious soldier
and brigand
, Gerlache became a pious Christian
upon the death of his wife and went on pilgrimage
to Rome
and Jerusalem. At Rome, he nursed the sick for seven years. He also performed rites of penance
for the sins of his youth.
Upon returning to Holland, he gave up all of his possessions to the poor and took up residence in a hollow oak
on his former estate near Houthem. He ate bread mixed with ash and traveled by foot each day on pilgrimage to Maastricht
, to the Basilica of Saint Servatius
. Despite his extreme austerity, he was engaged in a dispute with local monks, who wanted him to enter their monastery
. The common people in the area considered him a saint, but these monks appealed to the local bishop
. They accused Gerlach of actually being incredibly rich, his oak actually being the location of a cache of treasure
. The bishop commanded that Gerlach's oak be cut down. Gerlach, however, had by this time made powerful friends, including Hildegard of Bingen
, and received protection. Nevertheless his oak was cut down, but the bishop found no treasure and wanted to make up his mistake to the saint by having the oak cut up in planks and having a small hut constructed with those.
Legend states that when Gerlach had done enough penance, water from the local well transformed itself into wine
three times as a sign that his sins had been forgiven. He died shortly after, barely fifty and legend has it that the last rites were administered to him by the Saint Servatius himself.
The Sint-Gerlachus church in Houthem Sint-Gerlach is a well-known tourist site and the only religious building with frescos (paintings on marl) in the Netherlands.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
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...
. His cult is centered at Valkenburg aan de Geul
Valkenburg aan de Geul
Valkenburg aan de Geul is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands.-History:Siege and conquest were characteristic of the history of Valkenburg. Each event is withheld, followed by subsequent restorations. This most definitely holds for the castle perched atop of a hill in the middle of the...
.
The Vita Beati Gerlaci Eremytae, written around 1227, describes his legend and life. Originally a licentious soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
and brigand
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
, Gerlache became a pious Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
upon the death of his wife and went on pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
to 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...
and Jerusalem. At Rome, he nursed the sick for seven years. He also performed rites of penance
Penance
Penance is repentance of sins as well as the proper name of the Roman Catholic, Orthodox Christian, and Anglican Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation/Confession. It also plays a part in non-sacramental confession among Lutherans and other Protestants...
for the sins of his youth.
Upon returning to Holland, he gave up all of his possessions to the poor and took up residence in a hollow oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
on his former estate near Houthem. He ate bread mixed with ash and traveled by foot each day on pilgrimage to Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
, to the Basilica of Saint Servatius
Basilica of Saint Servatius
The Roman catholic Basilica of Saint Servatius, situated in Maastricht at the Vrijthof square, is a mainly Romanesque church dedicated to Saint Servatius.- History :...
. Despite his extreme austerity, he was engaged in a dispute with local monks, who wanted him to enter their monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
. The common people in the area considered him a saint, but these monks appealed to the local bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
. They accused Gerlach of actually being incredibly rich, his oak actually being the location of a cache of treasure
Treasure
Treasure is a concentration of riches, often one which is considered lost or forgotten until being rediscovered...
. The bishop commanded that Gerlach's oak be cut down. Gerlach, however, had by this time made powerful friends, including Hildegard of Bingen
Hildegard of Bingen
Blessed Hildegard of Bingen , also known as Saint Hildegard, and Sibyl of the Rhine, was a German writer, composer, philosopher, Christian mystic, Benedictine abbess, visionary, and polymath. Elected a magistra by her fellow nuns in 1136, she founded the monasteries of Rupertsberg in 1150 and...
, and received protection. Nevertheless his oak was cut down, but the bishop found no treasure and wanted to make up his mistake to the saint by having the oak cut up in planks and having a small hut constructed with those.
Legend states that when Gerlach had done enough penance, water from the local well transformed itself into wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
three times as a sign that his sins had been forgiven. He died shortly after, barely fifty and legend has it that the last rites were administered to him by the Saint Servatius himself.
The Sint-Gerlachus church in Houthem Sint-Gerlach is a well-known tourist site and the only religious building with frescos (paintings on marl) in the Netherlands.