27 March: Saint Rupert of Salzburg
The Apostle of Bavaria
Rupert was part of the Frankish nobility and was related to the Merovingian royal family (perhaps to the Robertians). He served as the Bishop of Worms at the end of the 7th century. Duke Theodo II of Bavaria (+718) invited him to Bavaria and entrusted him with important ecclesiastical and political duties. Rupert, who was related to Theodo's wife, Folchaid, converted the Duke of Ratisbon (Regensburg, Bavaria) and his followers to Christianity. According to tradition, he baptized the Duke himself, which is why he is known as the Apostle of the Bavarians.
After the years he spent in Regensburg, Rupert was assigned by Theodo II to be a missionary throughout the entire duchy and to lay the foundations for the local Church.
Initially, however, Rupert settled in Lake Wallersee for about a year, where he found a Christian community and built a church in honour of the Apostle Peter in present day Seekirchen. From there, he made contact with the Duke's son Theodbert, who lived in the upper castle on the hill of Salzburg fortress. In 696, Theodbert gave Rupert the ancient area of Iuvavum at the foot of the upper castle, to build a monastery. It was a region inhabited by both Roman and Bavarian settlers and included a chapel dedicated to Saint Martin on the terrace of Nonnberg.
Rupert founded the Monastery of Saint Peter and had a church dedicated to the Apostle built in what is now the Chapter Square. (Kapitelplatz ). It was not a monastery with monks, but a missionary convent, from which priests would depart to convert the surrounding territory to Christianity. Rupert's niece, Erentrude, founded a monastery of nuns in Nonnberg.
Rupert was the first documented Bishop of Salzburg.
Around 715, Rupert returned to Worms, where he died on March 27, 716. His remains were translated to Salzburg on 24 September 774 by Saint Bishop Virgil, during the inauguration of the new Cathedral. Rupert is the Patron Saint of Salzburg, along with Saint Virgil. He is known as the Apostle of the Bavarians and, after the Virgin Mary, he is the secondary Patron Saint of Bavaria.