Saint Conrad of Constance

Also known as

• Konrad of Konstanz

Memorial

• 26 November

Profile

Second son of Count Heinrich von Altdorf, part of the Guelf family. Educated at the cathedral school at Constance, Germany (in modern Switzerland). Priest. Provost of the cathedral. Bishop of Constance from 934 to 975. Made three pilgrimages to the Holy Lands. Accompanied Emperor Otto I to Rome, Italy. Renovated churches in his diocese, and built three new ones on lands he inherited. Known for his charity to the poor, and his lack of concern over the power politics that occupied so many other bishops of the day.

During Mass one day a spider dropped into the chalice of Precious Blood; though Conrad believed all spiders were poisonous, his love of communion overcame his fear, and he drank the Blood, spider and all. He did, of course, survive.

On 14 September 948 Conrad was witness to the miraculous consecration of the Chapel of Mary, Einsiedeln, Switzerland by Christ and some angels.

Died

• 975 of natural causes

Canonized

• 1123 by Pope Callistus II

Patronage

• Constance, Germany, diocese of
• Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, archdiocese of

Representation

• asperges
• bishop holding a chalice with a spider above or in it
• performing an exorcism

Additional Information

• Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
• Courtly Lives of German Saints, by Margaret Odrowaz-Sypniewski
• Heiligen 3s
• Katherine Rabenstein
• Kirken i Norge
• Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints

MLA Citation

• “Saint Conrad of Constance”. Saints.SQPN.com. 13 October 2012. Web. 24 May 2013. <http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-conrad-of-constance/>