De sancto Othmaro
The Humble Shepherd of the Poor
Othmar rises from a courtly upbringing to become a devoted abbot known for his strict discipline, poverty, and tireless charity toward the sick and marginalized.
Othmar was born and raised in the province of Alemannia; as a boy, he was taken by his brother to the royal court and instructed in letters. As a young man, he served Victor, the count of that same region. Through the count's foresight and genuine affection for him—because he saw in him a good character—he was promoted to the priesthood under the title of Saint Florinus; at the insistence of the aforementioned count, he was appointed as a prelate there because of his religious discipline, his learning, and his growing reputation for the purity of his life. Waltraim, who by hereditary right was the lord of that wilderness where the blessed Gall had built his cell, obtained permission from the aforementioned count for Othmar to preside over that cell in all matters that seemed to pertain to it; furthermore, he brought him to King Pepin so that, with royal authority granting it, he might confirm him as abbot of that same place. Upon his return, Othmar restored the place. He restored it, and within a few years, it became very wealthy in both possessions and religious discipline, and was strengthened by many buildings. The blessed Abbot Othmar, therefore, when he saw the temporal possessions of his monastery increasing immensely through the goodness of God, and fearing that the growth of virtues in his own person might decrease, began to insist more strictly on frugality, so that he would even continue his abstinence for two days as a matter of custom on the principal days of fasting; he was a preeminent lover of poverty and humility, and along with these, a great almsgiver. When the monastery was in need, he would often use a donkey instead of a horse; he was a servant to no one in matters of mercy and charity, and so he served the poor in person. He built a dwelling for lepers not far from the monastery, and he personally washed the heads and feet of the poor, which is why many called him the father of the poor. He visited them at night and, as has been said, served them diligently. He also built a hospital where blind and poor people were received, and he cared for them so solicitously that he would even leave the monastery at night to serve their infirmities with great devotion.
Persecution and Exile
Othmar suffers unjust imprisonment and exile due to the greed of local lords and the betrayal of a false brother, yet his holiness is vindicated by divine judgment upon his accuser.
Meanwhile, Warinus and Ruthardus, who were then in charge of all of Alemannia, were overcome by the devil with the foulest disease of greed, and they unjustly seized the property of the churches under their control. They inflicted these same evils upon the place of Saint Gall. Regarding these injuries, blessed Othmarus lodged a complaint with King Pepin, saying that he would face grave consequences if he ignored them and gave his consent. The king forbade them his favor if they did not restore to the monastery everything they had unjustly taken. But they, overcome by greed, did not observe the king's command at all; instead, they captured blessed Othmarus as he was returning from the king, sent soldiers to seize him, and had him brought to them in chains. They also brought in Lampertus, a false brother of Othmarus's own monastery, who had been induced by them to slander the abbot and falsely and wickedly accuse him of a crime. That wicked betrayal against an innocent man, that monk did not hesitate to commit. And so, having called an unjust council, this same Lampert publicly accused the blessed Othmar of a woman; consequently, they condemned him to the penalty of exile, banishing him miserably to an island in the Rhine, where, after many hardships he bore with patience, he rested in the confession of Christ on the sixteenth day before the calends. In December, he rested with a good end. But God, the just judge, punished this wicked scheme of Lampert—by which he had innocently entangled his own superior—in such a way that a fever so severe seized the monk himself that, his strength failing, his head was frequently turned toward the ground, and he was forced to walk like a four-footed animal. Wherefore, compelled by divine judgment and urged by it to publicly confess that he had sinned against a holy man of God, he said: 'Be quiet, holy Council of Nicaea, and do not persecute those who serve God rightly and with a sincere will keep the heavenly commands of God and are subject to our laws, for it is not fitting that the carnal should persecute the spiritual.' Wherefore Gregory also says: 'He who does not prove the calumny brought against another ought to incur the penalty.' Which, if he had proven it, the guilty party would certainly have sustained. That plan, however, begun in wickedness, was finished even more wickedly. The blessed Othmar was buried in exile, where a chapel on the island still stands today; his body remained incorrupt there for ten years. After ten years, his disciples decided they should by all means transfer their abbot's body to the monastery of Saint Gall, over which he had presided according to the will of God in both spiritual and temporal matters.
The Miraculous Return
The incorrupt body of Saint Othmar is returned to his monastery, accompanied by miraculous signs that confirm his sanctity.
They set out for the place, took up the body, and placed it on a boat; and many frequent and various miracles followed their devotion and the holiness of his body. For a great storm of wind and rain, which was seen across the entire Lake Constance at that time, was no hindrance to them on their journey. Furthermore, a small vessel full of wine they had brought with them suffered no loss, no matter how often it was drained while the monks sat down to eat. The body of the blessed Othmar was therefore brought to the monastery of Saint Gall, where it rests happily and honorably, with many miracles preceding and following it there.
Read the original Latin
Otbmarus in provincia Alemanniae natus atque nutritus est, Dum esset puer, a fratre suo in curiam perducitur et litteris ünbuitur, Virtutibus tainen plus vel aeque ut scientiae studuit, juxta illud Sapientiae: quae in juventute non congregasti, quomodo invenies ea in senectute? Victori comiti ejusdem regionis factus adolescens servivit. Per cujus providentiam ac dilectionem integram ad ipsum, quia vidit in eó indolem bonam, ad sacerdotium promovelur titulo sancti Florini, Cogente praefato comilé praelatws ibi positus est propter suam religionem, scientiam, famam volantem de nmnditia vitae suae. Waltraimus, qui ex jure hereditario dominus fuit eremi illius, in quo beatus Gallas cellam sibi construxerat, obtinuit a praefato comite, ut Othmarus praeesset illi cellae in omnibus, quae ad ipsum pertinere videbantur, lLüsuper duxit ewn ad Pipinuin regem, ut auctoritate regia concedente ipsum ejusdem loci abbatem confirmaret, Cujus petitioni tanquam justus rex consensum praebuit et per manum regis Othmaro confirmato in abbatem Waltrainus omnia bona sua seu possessiones libere et integraliter resignavit, Mandavit itaque rex ac proprio ore jussit ibidem vitam instituere regularem. Rediens igitur. Otlhimarus locum. reformavit et infra annos paucos tam in possessionibus quain in religione valde dives effectus est et in aedificiis pluribus confirmatus. Beatus igitur Otlinarus abbas, cmn vidisset possessiones temporales suo monasterio ex Dei bonitate accrescere in immensum, timens suae personae virtutum incrementa decrescere a se ipso inccpit et parsimoniae vehementius insistebat, ita ut etimn in praecipuis jejuniorum diebns de consuetudine biduo abstinentiam continuaret, Paupertatis ct humilitatis amator praecipuus et cum his elemosinator magnus fuit, Paupertalis ejus illud ostendit, quod crebrius sine tunica sola tantum cappa indutus ad monasterium remeavit exemplo Christi, qui vilibus pannis in sua nativitate obvolntas fuit, kt postea crevit in omnibus ejus paupertas, ut nos super instanti pecunia minime confidamus.
Jn necessitate monasterii sui asello pro equo frequentius ntebatur, in inisericordia et elemosina nulli servus fuit, Unde et pauperibus in propria persona servivit, Leprosis non longe a monasterio habitaculuim fecit, capita pauperum et pedes in propria persona lavit, unde etiam pater pauperum a pluribus est appellatus. Nocte eos visitavit et eisdem, ut dictum est, diligenter obsecntus est, hospitale insuper construxit, ubi caeci pauperes recipiebantur, quorum curam adeo sollicite gessit, ul ctiam de nocte monasterium egrediens infirmitati eorum multo obsequio deserviret. Jnter haec Warinus et Ruthardus, qui tunc totius Alemanniae curam administrabant, dyabolo suadente imunanissimo morbo avaritiae praeventi res ecclesiarum in sua potestate silarum per vim sibi injuste vindicabant. Quae mala loco sancti Galli similiter inferebant. Super quibus injuriis beatus Othinarus Pipino regi de ipsis querunoniam movit dicens, se gravissima incursurum, si iis dissiiulando consentiret, Quibus rex gratiam suam interdixit, si illi monasterio non restituerent Omnia injuste ablata, Illi vero avaritia victi regis praeceptum nullatenus observarunt, sed insuper beatum Olhmarum, dum reverteretur à rege, captivantes missis ob hoc militibus vinctum ad se duci fecerunt, Et Lampertuin falsum fratrem coenobii ipsius Otlinari, qui ab ipsis inductus fuit, nt abbatem somm dalse et mendaciter de crimine accusaret et nequiter infamaret, conduxerunt.
Quam proditionem contra innocentem nequam. ille monachus comnittere nullatenus formidavit. Itaque concilio iniquo convocato coram multis ipse Lampertns beatum Othmarum de femina accusavit, Unde ad poenam exsili ipsum condemnaverunt in insnlam Rheni miserabiliter relegantes, ubi post multas, quas patienter sustinuit, miserias in confessione Christi XVI cal. Decembr, bono fine quievit. Hujus autem Lamperti iniquam machinationem , qua suwn praelatum innocenter involvit, Deus justus judex sic punivit, quod ipsun monachum febris adeo gravis arripuit, xt resoluto vigore meinbronun caput ipsius ad terram frequentius verteretur et more quadrupedum cogeretur ambulare. Unde etiam coactus divino judicio eum perurgente, ut se peccasse in sanctum Dei publice fateretur: quiescite, inquit, sancta synodus Nicaena rt nólite persequi eos, qui recte Deo famulantur et sincera voluntate superna Dei mandata custodiunt et nostris legibus subjugantur, quia non decet, ut carnales spirituales perseqnantur, Unde etinm Gregorius ait: qui calumniam illatam non probat, poenam incurrere debet. Quam si probasset; rens utique sustineret. Consilium antem illud nequiter inchoatum nequius est finitum, Sepultus igitur beatus Othmarms in exsilio, ubi hodie in insnla capella ostenditur, annis X ibidem corpus suum incorruptum permansit, Post X yero annos visum est discipulis ipsins, ut corpus sui abbatis ad sancti Galli inonasterium, eni secundum voluntatem Dei praefuit, in spiritualibus et temporalibus deferre modis omnibus deberent.
Pergentes itaque ad locum corpus tollentes navi posuerunt, Quorum devotionem et corporis ipsins sanctitatem miracnla crebra et plura consequuntur. Tempestas enim mnlta ventorum et procellarum , qnae per totum lacum I)Constantiensem tuno temporis visa fuit, in omni via illa nulli eorum impedimento fait. Vasculum etiam modicum vino plenum, quod secum tulerant, ipsis monachis ad refectionem consedentibus, quotiescnnque exhaustum fuit, nulhun sensit detrimentum. Beati igitur Otlunari corpus ad monasterinm beati Gali delatum multis ibidem praecedentibus et consequentibus miraculis feliciter et honorifice quiescit,
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