TheFour Holy Marshals (Vier Marschälle Gottes or justVier Marschälle) are foursaints venerated in theRhineland, especially atKöln,Lüttich,Aachen, and theEifel.[1] They are conceived as standing particularly close to throne ofGod, and thus powerful intercessors.[2] Their joint veneration is comparable to that of theFourteen Holy Helpers, who are also venerated in the Rhineland.
They are considered “marshals of God” and were invoked againstdiseases andepidemics during theMiddle Ages.
Evidence of this devotion is testified by documentation dating from 1478; however, the joint devotion of these four saints may have existed earlier.[2][3] The devotion reached its high point in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and diminished by the seventeenth.[1] There were churches dedicated to them atHüngersdorf,Schleiden, and in theMariwald.[4]
The four saints are:
| Name(Alternate) | Feast day | Patronage |
|---|---|---|
| Quirinus of Neuss(Quirin) | cMarch 30, April 30 | Againstsmallpox andgoiter |
| Hubertus(Hubert) | n November 3 | Againstrabies and dog bites |
| Cornelius | aSeptember 16 | Against cramps and epilepsy |
| Saint Anthony the Great(Antonius, Antony) | mJanuary 17 | invoked against the plague |
In terms of protection over animals, Anthony is the patron of pigs, Cornelius cattle, Hubertus dogs, and Quirinus horses.[1] In addition, each saint has its own particular place of special veneration: Anthony was venerated atCologne, Hubertus atSt-Hubert in theArdennes, Cornelius atAachen, and Quirinus atNeuss.[3]
