Sankt Goarshausen

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Sankt Goarshausen is in the Rhineland-Palatinate close to the Lorelei rock. St. Goar’s shrine is the scene of numerous miracles and traditions. Legend states that St. Goar settled among the poor on the Rhine in the mid sixth century. He taught the tenets of Christianity and aided the sick. He also aided mariners who fell victim to the dangerous eddy known as “Sand Gewirr". He was summoned to the presence of King Sigebert at Andernach, who had heard of his reputation for saintliness. Many of the court ecclesiastics, especially the Archbishop of Treves, were jealous of him. Sigebert deprived the archbishop of his archbishopric and offered it to St. Goar, who refused. As he left court, St. Goar threw his cloak over a sunbeam to show that his refusal of the archbishopric was the will of God. When St. Goar died, Sigebert built a chapel over his grave. Other hermits gathered into a monastery at the site. The grave became a shrine, and was visited by many pilgrims. St. Goar became patron saint of hospitality, and no stranger was turned away from his monastery.

Another story deals Charlemagne. While travelling from Ingelheim to Aix-la-Chapelle, Charlemagne and his retinue passed the shrine of St. Goar without stopping. Skies clouded over and thunder boomed. The entourage panicked. An old mariner told Charlemagne that God and St. Goar were offended. Charlemagne and the others went ashore and prayed for deliverance and forgiveness at the shrine. Before leaving, Charlemagne richly endowed the shrine.

Another story concerns Charlemagne’s sons, Pepin and Carloman, who quarreled over whom should rule after the death of Charlemagne. They became bitter enemies. In 806, Charlemagne summoned his three sons, Carloman, Pepin, and Ludwig to Thionville in order to state his wishes. Carloman was in Germany, and Pepin in Italy. Both travelled the Rhine to reach Thionville. As Pepin approached St. Goar, he remembered it was there that he and Carloman had last been friends. He went ashore and prayed at the shrine. When Carloman arrived, he, too, was reminded of the former friendship, and also put ashore to pray at St. Goar’s shrine. The brothers met, and again pledged their friendship.