Himelin
Encyclopedia
Saint Himelin (†Vissenaken
, 750 AD) was a Scottish
priest
who, returning from a pilgrimage
to Rome
, fell ill when passing through Vissenaken (in present-day part of the municipality Tienen in Belgium
).
He is said to have been the brother of Rumbold, patron saint of Mechelen.
The legend of Saint Himelin states that in Vissenaken he asked a girl for some water. She refused, as there was bubonic plague
in the area. However, after much insistence from Himelin, she finally gave him a pitcher of water, which miraculously
turned into wine
. Himelin died three days later of the plague. He is venerated
on 10 March. His cult is confined to Vissenaken.
Vissenaken
Vissenaken is a village in Belgium. It is part of the municipality Tienen.It is located north of the city of Tienen and is divided into two parishes: Sint-Maartens and Sint-Pieters.The saint Himelin is known only in Vissenaken....
, 750 AD) was a Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
who, returning from a pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, fell ill when passing through Vissenaken (in present-day part of the municipality Tienen in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
).
He is said to have been the brother of Rumbold, patron saint of Mechelen.
The legend of Saint Himelin states that in Vissenaken he asked a girl for some water. She refused, as there was bubonic plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
in the area. However, after much insistence from Himelin, she finally gave him a pitcher of water, which miraculously
Miracle
A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws...
turned into wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
. Himelin died three days later of the plague. He is venerated
Calendar of saints
The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the feast day of said saint...
on 10 March. His cult is confined to Vissenaken.