City patron
As a patron saint is patron called a city. If the city seal shows a saint, this is sometimes, but not regularly, addressed as the city's patron. In some cases, the church patron is also the city patron. But it also happens that the depiction of the spiritual patron saint in the city seal (as in the case of St. Martin in Aschaffenburg, Electorate of Mainz ) is the reason why this saint is venerated as the city's patron.
There are numerous city patrons in Europe who, in addition to the church patron, are venerated as patron saints of the city. The cult often goes back a long way.
Concept and custom
The term patronus contained in city patron comes from the Roman legal language; it was used to denote the patron of a client . The protection granted resulted in a bond between the client and the patron. As early as the 4th century, Christian communities began to transfer the term patronus to Christian martyrs and to place themselves under their protection. In the following years it became common to choose a saint as patron saint for a newly built church and to venerate him there. While the function of the patron was primarily to intercede with God on behalf of the believers, it was soon expanded to include protection against earthly dangers. In the Middle Ages, this custom was carried over to cities, among other things. In addition to the church patron, the citizens and city councilors also chose a city patron in order to place their city under his special protection. The city patron was not only a heavenly patron, but was also seen as the bearer of property and property rights in this world; he was, as it were, a supernatural legal person .
Formal survey
Before there was a uniformly regulated procedure for the establishment of a city patron, local customs were decisive for the selection and elevation to the patron saint of a city. From March 23, 1630, the provisions of the papal rites congregation became binding in the Catholic area; thereafter, the town's patron should be formally selected from the circle of canonized saints by the inhabitants with the consent of the bishop and the clergy. In 1977 Konrad von Parzham became the patron saint of Bad Griesbach in the Rottal . In 2005, St. Lioba von Tauberbischofsheim was made patroness of the northern Baden city.
Representations
The city's patron saint has been depicted again and again - from his elevation until today - in order to have him in the cityscape. In most cities, for example, there are sculptures and goldsmiths, paintings and glass windows, woodcuts and copperplate engravings with depictions of the city's patron, sometimes with the participation of the most respected artists of their time. The image of the city's patron or one of his attributes can usually be found in the city's coat of arms as well as on city seals, patronage thalers and coins.
literature
- Arnold Angenendt: Patron. In: Lexicon of the Middle Ages. 6th volume, Munich 1993, column 1806 ff.
- Hans-Jürgen Becker: Stadtpatrone and urban freedom ... In: Gerd Kleinheyer, Paul Mikat (Ed.): Contributions to legal history - memorial for Hermann Conrad. Paderborn 1979, p. 44.
- Hans-Jürgen Becker: The saint and the right. In: Jürgen Petersohn (Ed.): Politics and adoration of saints in the high Middle Ages . Sigmaringen 1994, p. 53 ff.
- Toni Diederich : city patron on the Rhine and Moselle. In: Rheinische Vierteljahrsblätter . Volume 58, 1994, pp. 25-86.
- Klaus Graf : Maria as city patroness in German cities of the Middle Ages and early modern times with appendix: Preliminary list of city patrons in Catholic German cities of modern times. In: Klaus Schreiner, Marc Müntz (Hrsg.): Piety in the Middle Ages. Political-social contexts, visual practice, physical forms of expression . Fink, Munich 2002, ISBN 3-7705-3625-8 , pp. 125-154. (on-line)
- Hans Georg Wehrens: The city patron of Freiburg im Breisgau. Promo Verlag, Freiburg 2007, ISBN 978-3-923288-60-1 .
See also
Web links
- City cartridge in smaller cities
- Klaus Graf: Laurentius, patron saint of Duderstadt. ( Memento of June 9, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) In: The Diocese of Hildesheim in the past and present. 65, 1997, pp. 103-127.
Individual evidence
- ^ Kirchenbote.de: Lioba von Tauberbischofsheim . September 7, 2012. Online at www.kirchenbote.de. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
- ↑ Main Post: Lioba becomes secular patron . June 17, 2005. Online at www.mainpost.de. Retrieved April 30, 2016.