Soon from Prüm

Saint Ansbald (Ansbaud) von Prüm (* around 810 in Luxembourg (?); † July 12, 886 in Prüm ) was abbot in Prüm (Prumia).

Ansbald came from a family of counts, probably from what is now Luxembourg . As a monk, he was already in the Benedictine monastery of Prüm when he briefly went to the monastery of St. Hubertus (Saint-Hubert) in the Ardennes as abbot. When the Prüm abbot Egil (Egilo) voluntarily resigned from office in 860, Ansbald became abbot in the Prüm and rebuilt the abbey that was destroyed by the Normans on January 6, 882. He obtained u. a. with the support of Emperor Karl III. (Charlemagne) the confirmation of old and new privileges. Among other things, he achieved that a market and a mint could be set up in Rommersheim for the benefit of the abbey.

Legend

A knight Nithard lived with his wife Erkanfrieda in the French Ardennes near the city of Laon . They served God with prayer and good works, and were kind and just to their subjects. They had no children and therefore wanted to leave their rich inheritance to a monastery for their salvation. Since there were numerous monasteries in the Ardennes, the knight consulted his confessor. He said to him: “Take an arrow from your quiver and shoot it. The air will carry him across mountains and valleys. Give your wealth to the monastery in whose area he falls down. "

The knight liked the suggestion and held a great festival at his castle that lasted seven days. On the last day he wanted to shoot the arrow. He gathered his guests around him and climbed with them down the castle hill into the valley to a legendary rock. There he attached the deed of gift to an arrow. Before sending him into the air, the castle chaplain spoke to the waiting crowd: “Nithard is doing a noble work. Let us pray to the Lord that we may succeed! ” Everyone knelt and prayed. Then Nithard mounted the rock and shot the arrow. At the same moment the sky opened, lovely singing sounded, a shining angel descended, caught the arrow and carried it away through the air.

At the same time, Abbot Ansbald celebrated Holy Mass in the distant Prüm Monastery in the company of monks and many Christians. Suddenly unearthly sounds filled the church; the angel floated down to the altar and placed an arrow and a certificate on it. After the angel bowed to the Holy of Holies, he disappeared again. Abbot Ansbald read to the astonished congregation what good news was written there. When the knight Nithard died, the Prüm monastery inherited its properties in France and cherished the blessed arrow.

In the Abbey Church of Saint Salvator , a statue of the abbot, an angel with an arrow and a painting by Januarius Zick remind of this legend. The day of remembrance and veneration of Saint Ansbald is July 12th .

literature

• Ekkart Sauser :  Ansbald: St. Abbot of Prüm. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 21, Bautz, Nordhausen 2003, ISBN 3-88309-110-3 , Col. 23.