Ratholdus of Aibling

A holy monastic honored at Aibling in Bavaria in the age of the undivided Church.

Uncertain source. We are looking to verify this information as soon as we can.

Era: 10th century
Place: Bad Aibling
Order: Venerables

Life

Ratholdus of Aibling (Rathold) was probably born around 900, of the Rapotones, who held land in the lower Inn valley. His birthplace is taken to be the manor of Prantshausen in Bad Aibling, mentioned in documents as early as 800. According to legend, he lived as a hermit in the first half of the 10th century.

It is said that, after pilgrimages to Rome and to Santiago de Compostela, he withdrew to a cave opposite today's Georgenberg (near Stans in the lower Inn valley of Tyrol). Companions soon began to join him. The community was raised, by 1138 at the latest, to a Benedictine abbey by Bishop Reginbert of Brixen. The first abbot (1138 to 1174) was Eberhard, of the family of Aibling.

In the Middle Ages Sankt Georgenberg was the most important place of pilgrimage in Tyrol; pilgrimages are still made there from Aibling today. The monastery stands on a rocky summit above the confluence of the Georgenbach with the Stanser Bach.

He is a local saint of the West, honored in the Bavarian and Tyrolean tradition; no Orthodox synodal canonization is known. His life is known largely from legend.