--- title: Saint Gall author: James Blake Wiener source: https://www.worldhistory.org/Saint_Gall/ format: machine-readable-alternate license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) updated: 2025-08-21 --- # Saint Gall _Authored by [James Blake Wiener](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/jbw288/)_ Saint Gall (c. 550 - c. 645 CE), also known as Saint Gallus, was an Irish monk who lived in what is present-day Switzerland during the 6th century CE and was one of twelve companions of [Saint Columbanus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Saint_Columbanus/)' Christian mission to the European continent. This proselytization is commonly referred to as the “Hiberno-Scottish mission” by historians. Associated with various legends, myths, and miracles, Gall is chiefly remembered for this role in the spread of [Christianity](https://www.worldhistory.org/christianity/) in Switzerland and as the founder of a hermitage that would eventually become the Abbey Cathedral of St. Gallen. Gall is thus subsequently claimed additionally as the founder of the [city](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/) of St. Gallen in Switzerland and remains the city's patron saint. Gall's feast is celebrated on 16 October, and he is the patron saint of all birds. ### Life & Origins Early medieval documents written in the centuries after Saint Gall's [death](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Death/) attest that he was a native of Bangor, which is in present-day Northern [Ireland](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Ireland/), and that he was a pupil and disciple of St. Columbanus (545-615 CE). However, this is not universally accepted by all scholars, and some believe that Gall was a native of Alsace due to his abilities in the German language. On the other hand, others claim that Gall was Irish and a follower of St. Columbanus. It is entirely possible too that Gall had Irish origins but was born somewhere in Germanic [Europe](https://www.worldhistory.org/europe/). Regardless of his origins, Gall, according to accounts from the early 9th century CE, accompanied St. Columbanus from Ireland through [Britain](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Britain/) to Merovingian France, stopping for extended periods of time in Luxeuil (Luxeuil Abbey) and Nantes. Columbanus, Gall, and the other companions traveled down the Rivers Moselle, Rhine, Aar, and Limmat to Lake Zürich (German: Zürichsee) after a disagreement with [Brunhilda of Austrasia](https://www.worldhistory.org/Brunhilda_of_Austrasia/) (c. 543-613 CE) around c. 610 CE. (A powerful and efficient ruler while regent for her son, grandson, and great-grandson, Brunhilda was quite interested in Church affairs too, which brought her into direct conflict with Columbanus, her in-laws, members of the Merovingian nobility, and several Catholic bishops. She feared Columbanus' influence in Austrasia would circumscribe her own influence in ecclesial matters, hence why Columbanus was exiled from Merovingian France.) Near the banks of Lake Zürich, Gall and Columbanus attempted to establish a mission for the evangelization of the nearby [Alemanni](https://www.worldhistory.org/alemanni/) tribes and Romansh-speakers in what is present-day Tuggen, Switzerland, but they failed to win converts. Instead, their incurred a wave of persecution and subsequently had to move onward towards the safety of Bregenz in present-day Austria. Columbanus separated from Gall at this time, continuing a journey of his own to [Italy](https://www.worldhistory.org/italy/) where he would found Bobbio Abbey in 614 CE, just prior to his death the following year. Gall, meanwhile, continued along the River Steinach in the vicinity of Lake Constance and Arbon. After tripping over some wild plants on along the Mülenenschlucht path of the Steinach gorge, Gall became convinced that this was the place where he should build a hermitage and preach the gospel. ### Legends about St. Gall in Switzerland While Gall is remembered for his success in the Christianization of Switzerland, much of Gall's later life in Switzerland following the foundation of his hermitage is shrouded in legend. Two monks from the Benedictine abbey of Reichenau, in present-day Germany, wrote the oldest records about the life and work of Gall: Wetti (c. 775-824 CE) and Walafrid Strabo (c. 808-849 CE). Further documents attributed to Walafrid Strabo narrate other miracles and legends about Gall in prose and verse. One story related to Gall is that of how a bear became a close friend of the saint. The bear, which initially threatened Gall and fellow monks, soon became a close friend of the saint. This bear is even said to have brought Gall and his monastic cell wood from the forest to keep the everyone warm. The city of St. Gallen retains an image of a bear on its coat of arms. [ ![St. Gallen Cathedral](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/750x750/9201.jpg?v=1669397583) St. Gallen Cathedral Alex Queiroz (CC BY) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/9201/st-gallen-cathedral/ "St. Gallen Cathedral")Legends also state that Gall performed an exorcism on the noblewoman Fridiburga who was at one point betrothed to the Frankish King Sigebert III of Austrasia (r. 630–656 CE). It is reported that the demons flew out of her mouth in the form of black birds. Fridiburga is later said to have granted Gall a large abode near Arbon, Switzerland in gratitude. As Gall presumably spent much time outdoors in prayer and penitence, it is perhaps not surprising that there are also many stories about him in close company with birds and that he became the patron saint of birds. There are also various stories of his refusals to assume leadership roles in ecclesiastical positions in Constance (German: Konstanz) and Luxeuil. Gall died around the year 650 CE at the age of 95 in the near Arbon. ### Abbey Cathedral in St. Gallen Gall's hermitage and settlement grew and survived his death. In the years immediately following Gall's death, there was a church which housed his [tomb](https://www.worldhistory.org/tomb/) (*oratorium*), various commercial builds, individual cells (*mansiunculae*), and a refectory (*domus*). The structures conformed found in Ireland and monasteries founded by other Irish monks in Western Europe. The church quickly attracted pilgrims from the Alemmani and Romansch populations, but it endured armed attacks in c. 680 CE and 710 CE. [ ![Abbey Cathedral of St. Gallen](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/500x600/9199.jpg?v=1599107404) Abbey Cathedral of St. Gallen JJ Hall (CC BY-NC-SA) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/9199/abbey-cathedral-of-st-gallen/ "Abbey Cathedral of St. Gallen")Less than a [hundred years](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Hundred_Years/) later, the Abbey Cathedral of St. Gallen was founded c. 720 CE on the site of Gall's original hermitage. Relics believed to have belonged to Gall attracted numerous pilgrims from across Germanic and Latin Europe, and the city of St. Gallen grew wealthy. In the hundreds of years following Gall's death, the Abbey Cathedral of St. Gallen would become one of the chief centers of knowledge, teaching, and [music](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Music/) in medieval, Germanic Europe. Holy [Roman Emperor](https://www.worldhistory.org/Roman_Emperor/) Louis the Pious (813-840 CE) granted the Abbey the status of an imperial institution, and the secularization of the Abbey Cathedral only occurred in 1798 CE during the occupation of Switzerland by Revolutionary France. UNESCO designated the Abbey Cathedral and the Abbey Cathedral's library, which contains some 140,000 priceless documents, as World Heritage site in 1983 CE. #### Editorial Review This human-authored definition has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/). ## Bibliography - [Abbey of St Gall - UNESCO World Heritage Centre](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/268 "Abbey of St Gall - UNESCO World Heritage Centre"), accessed 19 Mar 2020. - [Gallus and the Irish monks: grandfathers of European culture? -- Swissinfo (SWI)](https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/religious-odyssey_gallus-and-the-irish-monks--grandfathers-of-european-culture-/43813106 "Gallus and the Irish monks: grandfathers of European culture? -- Swissinfo (SWI)"), accessed 19 Mar 2020. - [Joynt, Maud. *The Life of St. Gall.* Llanerch Press, 1992.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/094799291X/) - [Libraries: Where the world's memory is stored -- BBC World News](http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20180704-libraries-where-the-worlds-memory-is-stored "Libraries: Where the world's memory is stored -- BBC World News"), accessed 11 Sep 2018. - [Meeder, Sven. *The Irish Scholarly Presence at St. Gall.* Bloomsbury Academic, 2018.](https://www.worldhistory.org/books/1350038679/) - Schär, Max. *Gallus. Der Heikiger in seiner Zeit.* Schwabe Verlag Basel, 2011 - [St. Columbanus (Catholic Encyclopedia)](http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04137a.htm "St. Columbanus (Catholic Encyclopedia)"), accessed 11 Sep 2018. - [St. Gall (Catholic Encyclopedia)](http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06346b.htm "St. Gall (Catholic Encyclopedia)"), accessed 11 Sep 2018. - [Sub-project: St. Gall's Music Manuscripts](https://www.e-codices.unifr.ch/en/list/subproject/stgall_music "Sub-project: St. Gall's Music Manuscripts"), accessed 19 Mar 2020. - [Wandering Irish 'outsider' stumbled upon site for Swiss city of St Gallen -- The Irish Times](https://www.irishtimes.com/news/wandering-irish-outsider-stumbled-upon-site-for-swiss-city-of-st-gallen-1.481716 "Wandering Irish 'outsider' stumbled upon site for Swiss city of St Gallen -- The Irish Times"), accessed 19 Mar 2020. - [World Heritage city celebrates its patron saint -- Swissinfo (SWI)](https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/the-story-of-st-gallen_world-heritage-city-celebrates-its-patron-saint/32589414 "World Heritage city celebrates its patron saint -- Swissinfo (SWI)"), accessed 19 Mar 2020. ## About the Author James Blake Wiener has a particular interest in cross-cultural exchange and world history. He is a co-founder of World History Encyclopedia and formerly was its Communications Director. - [Linkedin Profile](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameswiener) ## Timeline - **c. 550 CE - c. 645 CE**: Life of [Saint Gall](https://www.worldhistory.org/Saint_Gall/). - **c. 720 CE**: The Abbey Cathedral of St. Gallen is founded. - **1983 CE**: The Abbey Cathedral of St. Gallen and its library are designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites. ## Cite This Work ### APA Wiener, J. B. (2018, September 12). Saint Gall. *World History Encyclopedia*. [https://www.worldhistory.org/Saint\_Gall/](https://www.worldhistory.org/Saint_Gall/) ### Chicago Wiener, James Blake. "Saint Gall." *World History Encyclopedia*, September 12, 2018. [https://www.worldhistory.org/Saint\_Gall/](https://www.worldhistory.org/Saint_Gall/). ### MLA Wiener, James Blake. "Saint Gall." *World History Encyclopedia*, 12 Sep 2018, [https://www.worldhistory.org/Saint\_Gall/](https://www.worldhistory.org/Saint_Gall/). ## License & Copyright Submitted by [James Blake Wiener](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/jbw288/ "User Page: James Blake Wiener"), published on 12 September 2018. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.