Arms of Pope Benedict XVI, with "Corbinian's Bear."

Saint Corbinian (670 - September 8, 730) was a Frankish bishop. His feast day, formerly September 8, has been translated to November 20 (CE). This is the rendering of the arms of Pope Benedict XVI done by Archbishop Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo for the Popes personal use only. ... This is the rendering of the arms of Pope Benedict XVI done by Archbishop Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo for the Popes personal use only. ... Events On the death of his brother Clotaire, Childeric II becomes king of all of the Frankish kingdoms -- Austrasia, Neustria and Burgundy. ... September 8 is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years). ... Events Emperor Leo III of the Byzantine Empire orders the destruction of all icons. ... The Franks were one of several west Germanic tribes who entered the late Roman Empire from Frisia as foederati and established a lasting realm in an area that covers most of modern-day France and the region of Franconia in Germany, forming the historic kernel of both these two modern... A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who holds a specific position of authority in any of a number of Christian churches. ... The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organising a liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with a saint, and referring to the day as the saints day of that saint. ... November 20 is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

Corbinian was born at Châtres, near Melun, in Frankish territory, where he lived as a hermit for 14 years, where a church dedicated to Saint Germain was erected, before journeying to Rome, accompanied by some of the disciples who had gathered round him. On a second visit to Rome he was ordained by Pope Gregory II. On his return homewards, however, preaching as he went, he came to Merano in the Tyrol, where he was induced by messengers of Grimoald, the Frankish duke of Bavaria, to go as an evangelist to Bavaria. Corbinian arrived probably in 724, for the millennium of his arrival was celebrated in Bavaria in 1724. Melun is a French city and commune on the river Seine, about 50 km south-southeast of Paris. ... A hermit (from the Greek for solitary) is a person who retires from society and lives in solitude; a recluse; an anchorite or anchoress; especially, one who so lives from religious motives. ... Saint-Germain may refer to various French phenomena: the 6th century bishop of Paris, canonized as Saint Germain of Paris, who founded an abbey in the fields near Paris, now the church of Saint-Germain-des-Pres which gave its name to the neighborhood on the Left Bank that is... Saint Gregory II, pope from 715 or 716 to February 11, 731, succeeded Pope Constantine, his election being variously dated May 19, 715, and March 21, 716. ... Meran (German) / Merano (Italian) is probably best known as a spa in the South Tyrol. ... This article is about Tyrol, the shire. ... The following is a list of rulers of Bavaria: Dukes of Bavaria, 889-1623 Liutpolding Dynasty Liutpold 889-907 Arnulf the Bad 907-937 Eberhard 937 Berthold 938-947 Liudolfing (Ottonian) Dynasty Henry I 947-955 Henry II the Quarrelsome 955-976 Otto I 976-982 Liutpolding Dynasty Henry III... With an area of 70,553 km² (27,241 square miles) and 12. ...

On a mountain near Freising, where there was already a shrine, the saint erected a Benedictine monastery and a school, which were governed by his brother Erembert, after his death. In 738, when Saint Boniface regulated the Church in the Duchy of Bavaria by creating four dioceses to be governed by the archbishop of Mainz, Erembert was chosen first Bishop of Freising [1] (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10631a.htm). In the course of time the abbey of Freising accumulated a great library. Freising (List of European cities with alternative names) is a city in Bavaria, Germany, capital of the district Freising. ... For the Roman general of this name, see Bonifacius. ... Map of Germany showing Mainz Mainz (French Mayence) is a city in Germany, which is the capital of the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. ...

Corbinian, soon after settling, denounced as incestuous the marriage of Grimoald to his brother's widow, after the duke's repentance and relapse. Corbinian was forced to flee Freising, but when Grimoald died (725) Corbinian returned on the invitation of Grimoald's successor, and continued his apostolic labours at Freising until his death in 730.

Corbinian's body, buried at Merano, was returned to Freising in 769 by Aribo, Bishop of Freising (764-84), who also wrote his life.

His symbol is the saddled bear. According to his hagiography, a bear killed his pack horse and Corbinian made it carry his load. The saddled totem animal may have had less literal significance for Corbinian. St. Cordinian's Bear is used as the heraldic symbol of Freising. It appears on the arms of Pope Benedict XVI, who had been Archbishop of Freising-Munich (Catholic News agency (http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/showarchive.php?date=2005-04-28)) and tells the tale in his Memoirs. For other meanings, see Bear (disambiguation). ... Hagiography is the study of saints. ... Heraldry is the science and art of describing coats-of-arms, also referred to as achievements or armorial bearings. ... His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI (Latin: ) was born Joseph Alois Ratzinger on April 16, 1927 in Bavaria, Germany. ...

External links

• Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Corbinian (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04356a.htm)
• Catholic Encyclopedia: Munich-Freising (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10631a.htm)