Saint Ubald
Prelate and Bishop
Bishop of Gubbio canonized in 1192, Saint Ubald is famous for the miracles performed by his relics. His thumb, taken by a servant to Alsace in 1101, was at the origin of the founding of the town of Thann after a miracle involving an immobile staff and three mysterious flames.
Guided reading
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RELICS OF SAINT UBALD.
Death, miracles, and canonization
After his death, the body of Saint Ubald performed numerous healings and fostered peace between Gubbio and neighboring cities. He was canonized in 1192 by Pope Celestine III.
The body of the holy pre saint prélat Bishop of Gubbio in the 12th century, whose relics are at the origin of the town of Thann. late was carried to the church of the holy martyrs James and Marian, where it remained exposed for four days, as much to satisfy the devotion of the people as because of the multitude of the sick and the possessed who were brought there from all sides and who were immediately delivered; but the greatest of all the miracles that occurred then was the peace and reconciliation of the Gubbians with the other cities of the duchy: they ended their disputes in consideration of the holy deceased, whom everyone wished to honor. Saint Ubald was c Célestin III Pope who confirmed the election of Albert and appointed him cardinal. anonized by Celestine III in 1192. His body was transported in 1196 to a mountain since called Mount Saint Ubald, where a church was built in his name and Canons Regular were established.
The translation of the relic and the foundation of Thann
A servant carries a relic of the saint (his thumb) to Alsace; a miracle involving a staff sealed to the ground and celestial flames leads to the foundation of the city of Thann.
The origin of the city of Thann, in Alsace, is linked to a relic of Saint Ubald which was brought there in a marvelous way. It is said that, being on the point of death and having no way to reward the good services of his faithful servant, Saint Ubald told the latter to take, after his death, the gold ring he wore on his thumb. The servant carried out his master's order, but the holy bishop's thumb follow ed the ring saint évêque Bishop of Gubbio in the 12th century, whose relics are at the origin of the town of Thann. he was trying to remove. The servant, worried, fled with his treasure, and for fear of losing such a precious object, he locked it in the pommel of his cane and set off for the Low Countries, his homeland. At the end of June in the year 1101, he crossed Alsace, stopped at Vieux-Thann, and from there prepared to cross the Vosges via the Saint-Amarin valley; but, forced to rest under a fir tree because of the intense heat, he placed his staff against a tree and fell asleep. Soon after, wanting to continue his journey, he took back his staff; but all his efforts were useless, the staff could not be moved and offered the most stubborn resistance. The traveler, astonished, called for the help of the multitude; but it was in vain: so he decided to spend the night under the fir tree and postpone his departure until the next day. However, the miracles continued, for Count Frederick of Ferre tte saw, from the top of h comte Frédéric de Ferrette Count who requested the dispatch of monks to Altkirch. is Engelbourg castle, at the foot of which the city of Thann would rise, in the middle of the shadows of the night, three flames leaping from the top of the tree against which the staff in question was leaning. The next day, this lord, accompanied by a large retinue, went to the indicated place to verify the wonder he had seen during the night. He learned from the mouth of the servant himself everything that had happened regarding the staff, and vowed to build a chapel at the place where the miracle of the previous day had occurred. This chapel was immediately visited by numerous pilgrims, inns were built in the vicinity, and that is the origin of Thann.
Liturgical cult and other relics
The town of Thann perpetuates the memory of the miracle through the annual burning of three tree trunks, while another relic is reported in Abbeville.
To perpetuate the memory of this event, three tree trunks are still placed every year on the feast day of Saint Ubald in front of the church, and the parish priest, after blessing them, sets them on fire. These trunks represent the three flames that emerged from the fir tree which the Count of Ferrette perceived.
The chape Abbeville Site of the subsequent translation of the relics. l of the Hôtel-Dieu in Abbeville possesses one of his relics.
Sources of the saint's life
The account is based on the Acta Sanctorum and the works of Abbé Hunckler on the saints of Alsace.
Acta Sanctorum Acta Sanctorum Monumental hagiographic collection by the Bollandists. ; les Saints d'Alsace, by Abbé Hunckler abbé Hunckler Author of the original biography. .
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Death of the saint and exposition of the body in the church of Saints James and Marian
- Canonization by Celestine III in 1192
- Translation of the body to Mount Saint Ubald in 1196
- Translation of a relic (thumb and ring) to Alsace in 1101
Miracles
- Deliverance of the sick and the possessed at his body
- Miraculous reconciliation of the people of Gubbio with their neighbors
- The saint's thumb follows the gold ring during the removal by the servant
- Supernatural immobility of the staff containing the relic against a fir tree
- Apparition of three flames at the top of a tree