ON SAINT EYNARDUS, HERMIT, AT ALTENA IN THE MARCH OF WESTPHALIA.
CommentaryEynardus, hermit of Altena, in the March of Westphalia (Saint)
[1] Among the Germanic provinces of the Westphalian Circle is the County of Mark or Marchia, surrounded by the territory of the Bishop of Munster to the North, the Duchy of Westphalia to the East, and to the South and West by the double Duchy of Berg and Cleves, In the castle of Altena in the March of Westphalia, which two, together with the County of Mark, were long subject to one and the same Prince. In this County is the town of Altena, on the river Lenne, with an ancient castle, which they say was founded in the twelfth century of Christ by the brothers Eberhard and Adolph. But when the castle of Mons-vetus, commonly called Aldenbergh, from which some trace the origin of the Duchy of Berg, was converted into a Cistercian monastery in the year 1133, Eberhard became a monk there. From Adolph, therefore, was begotten a son, also called Adolph, who begat Engelbert and Eberhard, to the former of whom he assigned the County of Berg, and to the latter the County of Altena, and this around the year 1170, in which this last Adolph is said to have died. The descendants of Eberhard, however, then began to be called Counts of the March.
[2] In this County of the March and the castle of Altena, the memory of Saint Eynardus the Hermit was celebrated, which is contained in the words recited from a manuscript Florarium of the Saints. The veneration of Saint Eynardus the Hermit: The Carthusians of Cologne in the Additions to Usuard published in the year 1515, and then reprinted in the year 1521, accurately describe his veneration in these words: "At Altena, a castle of the County of Mark, of Saint Eynardus, Hermit and Confessor." There were among the Archbishops of Cologne several from the aforesaid family: Frederick II, Count of Altena, son of Count Adolph, elected in the year 1156. Bruno III of Altena, elected in the year 1191. Adolph, nephew of Bruno through his brother, deposed in the year 1205. Saint Engelbert, Count of Altena, whether his body was brought there by Bishops from the family of Altena: who died as a Martyr in the year 1225 on the seventh of November. Adolph II and his nephew through his brother, Engelbert III, who died in the year 1368. There were also from the same family Bishops of the churches of Munster, Osnabruck, and Liege: so that it would not be surprising if this castle had been adorned with sacred relics. But because we have not yet obtained the Acts of this Saint, we can put forward nothing about the place of his residence and death. The name is the German Einardus, and signifies a man of one and the same character. The memory of this Saint is still preserved in the German Martyrology of Canisius, of which we have editions from the year 1573 and the year 1599, and in them these words are found: "In the Castle of Altena in the County of the March, of the holy anchorite and Confessor Eynardus."
[3] Citing this Martyrology, Ferrarius thus inserted him in his General Catalogue: "At Altitona in Germany, of Saint Eynardus the Hermit." But he clearly errs another from him is Eberhard, Duke of Swabia, when he writes Altitona for Altona or Altena, and with a greater error in the notes places it in Alsace, and asserts that it is called Saint Odilia and Hohenburg by the inhabitants. But he errs much more when he suspects an error in the name of the Saint and wishes to substitute for Eynardus Eberhard, Duke of Swabia, who, leaving the world and building the monastery of Murbach, died there with a holy end. The name of this Eberhard we have not yet found in any calendars; Bucelinus is silent about him in the Menology which he composed in Swabia. But it could rather be assumed to be the above-mentioned Eberhard, the founder, together with his brother Adolph, of the castle of Altena. Concerning this man, on the twentieth day of March, Gelenius in the Fasti of Cologne has this: "On the same day the Translation of Blessed Everhard, Count of Berg and Altena, a Cistercian monk, and Everhard, Count of Altena, who propagated this Order in this province, and converted his castle of Mons-vetus on the Dun river, opposite Cologne, into a monastery, when, after many pilgrimages undertaken and a humble life which he had led at Morimond, he was recognized and directed to this homeland, and at last, leaving behind a reputation of holiness, passed to that heavenly homeland on the twenty-second of the month of June: but on this day he seems to have been translated to the family burial place of the Counts of Altena." Thus Gelenius, who on the cited day of June 22 does not mention him. But he meant to write the twenty-second of May, on which day he treats of him again. Consult what we said about him on March 20 among the Omitted.
[4] But setting aside both Eberhards, we believe Saint Eynardus to be different from them, whom Johannes Veldius inscribed in his Calendar of Holy, Blessed, another mention of Saint Eynardus, and Pious Westphalia with these words on March 25: "Saint Eynardus, hermit, in the castle of Altena of the County of the March." About forty years ago there flourished Conrad Luther of Recklinghausen, Commissioner of the Archbishop and Elector of Cologne in the Duchy of Westphalia and the neighboring March, who most diligently investigated and inspected the relics and names of the Saints of the Archdiocese of Cologne, whom Hermann Crombach remembers with praise in his Ursulan history, page 758. We have the collectanea of this author concerning the Saints, divided into several volumes, in which he frequently mentions Saint Eynardus the hermit in the castle of Altena, and ascribes his veneration to the day of March 25.