Saint Rumbold | |
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 Saint Rumbold on achasuble in theBasilica of Our Lady of Hanswijk, Mechelen | |
| Born | possiblyIreland orScotland |
| Died | 6th, 7th or 8th century (see text) Mechelen |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church |
| Majorshrine | St Rumbold's Cathedral in Mechelen |
| Feast | 24 June |
| Attributes | Depicted as abishop or a bearded man with ahoe lying under his feet. He may also be shown murdered near acoffer of money. |
| Patronage | Mechelen andHumbeek |
Saint Rumbold (orRumold,Romuold;Dutch:Rombout;French:Rombaut;Latin:Rum(w)oldus, Rumwaldus, Rumboldus, Rumbaldus; many variants overall) was anIrish orScottishChristianmissionary, although his true nationality is not known for certain.[1][2][3]He wasmartyred nearMechelen by two men, whom he had denounced for their evil ways.[4]
Saint Rumbold'sfeast day is celebrated by theRoman Catholic Church, andWestern Rite Orthodox Churches, on 24 June;[4][5]and it is celebrated in Ireland on 3 July.[6][7]He is thepatron saint of Mechelen,[4] whereSt. Rumbold's Cathedral possesses an elaborate golden shrine on its high altar, containingrelics attributed to the saint. According to local lore, his remains are buried in the cathedral. Twenty-five paintings in the choir illustrate his life.
There are no contemporary historical records on the life of Rumbold and all stories about his life are legendary. According to legend, he was consecrated a regionarybishop atRome.Aodh Buidhe Mac an Bhaird (c. 1590–1635) argued that Rumbold was born inIreland. He is said to have been aBishop of Dublin, the son of aScottish king,[4] and the brother ofSaint Himelin.[8] He would have worked underSt. Willibrord in theNetherlands andBrabant, and also have been a close companion of thehermitSt. Gummarus,[9][1][4][10] and of the preacher monk Fredegand van Deurne, who, according to one tradition, maintained contact withSt. Foillan (who was murdered in theSonian Forest around 665).[11]
St. Rumbold's biography, written around 1100 AD by Theodoricus, prior ofSint-Truiden Abbey, identified 775 as the year of the saint's death. The surrounding areas of Mechelen had in reality been Christianized much earlier.[1] In 2004 a state-of-the-art examination of the relics traditionally claimed to be St. Rumbold's showed a death date between 580 and 655.[2][3][12]
There has been some historical confusion between Rumbold of Mechelen and the infant SaintRumwold of Buckingham, who died in 662 AD at the age of 3 days. The latter is referred to as Romwold, Rumwald, Runwald, Rumbald, or Rumbold. A compilation of three saints' lives translated by Rosalind Love mentioned that in 15th-century records inSalisbury, an unknown author 'corrected' the attribution as "martyr" (possibly the Rumbold murdered in Mechelen) by annotating "confessor" (as Rumwold was not a martyr). Also, the original dedication of churches to a St. Rumbold in Northern England appears uncertain.[13]
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