Rumbold of Mechlin
Saint Rumbold was an Irish or Scottish Christian missionary, although his true nationality is not known for certain.
He was martyred near Mechelen by two men, whom he had denounced for their evil ways.
Saint Rumbold's feast day is celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church, and Western Rite Orthodox Churches, on 24 June;
and it is celebrated in Ireland on 3 July.
He is the patron saint of Mechelen, where St. Rumbold's Cathedral possesses an elaborate golden shrine on its high altar, containing relics attributed to the saint. According to local lore, his remains are buried in the cathedral. Twenty-five paintings in the choir illustrate his life.
Life and legend
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 regionary bishop at Rome. Aodh Buidhe Mac an Bhaird argued that Rumbold was born in Ireland. He is said to have been a Bishop of Dublin, the son of a Scottish monarchs|Scottish king], and the brother of Saint Himelin. He would have worked under St. Willibrord in the Netherlands and Brabant, and also have been a close companion of the hermit St. Gummarus, and of the preacher monk Fredegand van Deurne, who, according to one tradition, maintained contact with St. Foillan.St. Rumbold's biography, written around 1100 AD by Theodoricus, prior of Sint-Truiden Abbey, identified 775 as the year of the saint's death. The surrounding areas of Mechelen had in reality been Christianized much earlier. 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.