Saint
Andrew Zorard
|
---|
|
Born
| c. 980
Opatowiec
,
Kazimierza
,
Poland
|
---|
Died
| c. 1009
Zobor Mountain, near
Nitra
,
Kingdom of Hungary
(modern day
Slovakia
)
|
---|
Venerated in
| Roman Catholic Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
[1]
|
---|
Canonized
| 1083 by
Pope Gregory VII
|
---|
Major
shrine
| St. Emmeram's Cathedral
|
---|
Feast
| June 13 (in Poland), July 17 (in Slovakia)
|
---|
Attributes
| walnuts, eagle, chain, axe, rocks
|
---|
Patronage
| Hungary
,
Nitra
,
Diocese of Nitra
,
Diocese of Tarnow
, St. Andrew Abbey in Cleveland
|
---|
Andrew Zorard
(
Hungarian
:
Zoerard Andras
,
Szorad
,
Zoard
;
Polish
:
Andrzej ?wierad
,
?urawek
,
?orawek
,
?wirad
, and
Wszechrad
;
Slovak
:
Svorad
,
Andrej Svorad
,
Czech
:
Sverad
;
German
:
Zoerard
,
Latin
:
Zoerardus
) was a
Benedictine
monk originating from
Poland
but active in
Slovakia
(then
Hungary
), who is venerated as a saint in the
Catholic Church
and the
Orthodox Churches
Life
[
edit
]
Zorard was born around 980 in
Opatowiec
, a small village in Poland. A tradition in the small village of
Tropie
holds that in his youth he lived near there as a monk. At around the year 1000, at about the age of 20, he began living as a hermit and a missionary, evangelizing in
Olawa
, Silesia (modern Poland). At some time, he also traveled to northern Hungary (Slovakia)
Around the year 1003 Zorard settled in
St. Hippolytus Monastery on Mt. Zobor
near
Nitra
- then part of the
Kingdom of Hungary
, present day
Slovakia
. He became a
Benedictine
monk in the Abbey.
[2]
He took the name "Andrew". There he became the spiritual guide of
Benedict of Skalka
. Zorard and Benedict, with the permission of their superior Philip, later left the monastery and became hermits in a cave along the
Vah River
near
Skalka nad Vahom
not far from
Tren?in
. Andrew died of natural causes around 1009. He practiced such severe austerities that, according to legend, the iron chain, which he wore wrapped around the belt, eventually grew into his body.
[2]
Benedict continued to live in the cave for three years until he was murdered by a gang of thieves looking for treasure. In 1083 Zorard's relics were transferred to
St. Emmeram's Cathedral
in Nitra where they remain to this day. A biography of Benedict and Zorard was written by
Maurus of Nitra
,
Bishop of Pecs
, in which it says that Zorard led a hermit life living in a small cave near the monastery. The cave has since been called
Svoradova
(Zorard's).
Feast Day and veneration
[
edit
]
Andrew is venerated especially in Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland, but also in diaspora communities of the
United States
. His feast day is 17 July, but in some calendars he is venerated together with Benedict on 13 July.
King
Geza I of Hungary
declared him one of the patron saints of Hungary. Zorard died around 1009. As early as 1064, Geza took the first steps towards his canonization. The cult of Zorard was officially confirmed in July 1083 by
Pope Gregory VII
, thanks to the Hungarian King
Ladislaus I
. Zorard's remains are located in the
St. Emmeram's Cathedral
in
Nitra
.
References
[
edit
]
Further reading
[
edit
]
- Hoffmann H.: Die Heilige Zoerad. Archiv fur schlesische Kirchengeschichte 3. 1938, p. 283-286.
- Semkowicz Władysław: Andrzej ?wierad. In: Polski Słownik Biograficzny. Vol. 1. 1935, p. 100-101.
- Silnicki T.: Dzieje Ko?cioła na ?l?sku. Warszawa 1953, p. 25, 94.
- W?dzki Andrzej: Andrzej-?wierad. In: Słownik Staro?ytno?ci Słowia?skich. Vol. 1961, p. 24-25.
- Wojciechowski Tadeusz: Eremici reguły ?w. Romualda. In: Szkice historyczne XI wieku. Krakow 1904, p. 53-58.
External links
[
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]