St. Prosper: In the footsteps of Erding's patron saint
Created: 03/18/2022, 08:00
By: Gerda Gebel
The bones of Sanctus Prosper lie softly bedded and richly decorated in velvet and silk in the reliquary in the parish church of St. John in Erding.
© Peter Gebel
Erding - St. Prosper is omnipresent in Erding, even as an advertising medium for a strong beer, as a street name giver and as a prize sponsor.
But how did he find his way to Erding?
Erding – Erding's patron saint, St. Prosper, is not only honored during the strong beer season, you can also find traces of him in many places in Erding.
A street is also named after him.
It leads from Hiasl-Maier-Straße in a U-shape along the city park.
But how did Saint Prosper find his way to Erding?
Together with tower keeper Doris Bauer, who dedicated a film contribution to him, we go back in history.
St. Prosper rests in richly decorated robes in a shrine in the left aisle of the parish church of St. John.
The bones were acquired by Joachim Einberger from Erding in 1675 in Rome, had them transported to his hometown and donated them to the church.
During this time, every city wanted to adorn itself with its own saint, who should be as old as possible and come from Rome.
The need in monasteries and parish churches was particularly high in the German-speaking region north of the Alps.
The bones of the early Christian martyrs were piled up in the Roman catacombs - and the marketing of the so-called catacomb saints was definitely worthwhile.
Although the direct sale of the relics was forbidden, considerable fees were charged for the costly transport and the magnificent furnishings.
If no clear name could be assigned to the bones, the story of another martyr was simply assigned to the bones, explains Doris Bauer.
The Erding Foundation Brewery once immortalized St. Prosper on the beer coaster – in red and black.
The Bierfuizl is already several decades old.
Doris Bauer reported on this in her film.
© Screenshot: Peter Gebel
Whether the relics in Erding are actually the bones of Prosper Tiro of Aquitaine is not certain.
The city patron owes his magnificent clothing to Margaretha Kellner from Erding, who made the robe out of velvet and silk, decorated with glittering stones, in 1858.
Prosper Tiro (born 390 near Limoges/France, died 455 in Rome) was a 5th-century saint who worked as a scribe in the papal chancery in Rome and also as a writer.
He is therefore also considered the patron saint of poets.
The St. Prosper Cabaret Prize, in which numerous up-and-coming cabaret artists compete, has been awarded in his name in Erding for a good ten years.
The next contest, organized by the Sinnflut team, is scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, in the Schollbach sports park.
In addition to a cash prize, the winner can also look forward to the coveted winner's mug, which the Erdinger master ceramist Hansi Bach had always made pottery until his death last year.
This year's mug was designed by his widow Karin Malterer-Bach, as Peter Feller from the Sinnflut team reveals.
The prize, which is sponsored by the foundation brewery, is usually awarded in spring during the strong beer season, also known as “Prosperzeit” in Erding.
The drinkable St. Prosper from the Fischer's Stiftungsbrauerei is then served.
The Doppelbock is traditionally supposed to bring the faithful through the lean Lent until Easter.
For many years, the saint also served the brewery as an advertising medium in the logo and adorned many a beer mug and beer glass.
There used to be a Prosper fountain on Schrannenplatz and the “St.
Prosper" in Klettham.
also read
Confused allegations against Ukraine and oligarchs: Putin shows himself relentlessly in the video and shatters all hopes
Hope germinated recently in the Ukraine-Russia negotiations, but President Putin has now put a severe damper on them.
The news ticker.
Confused allegations against Ukraine and oligarchs: Putin shows himself relentlessly in the video and shatters all hopes
3-star hotel promised: Refugees upset about accommodation - district sends them back to Munich
Numerous Ukrainians who are fleeing Putin's war are currently arriving in Bavaria.
The district of Miesbach has now sent a bus full of refugees back to Munich.
3-star hotel promised: Refugees upset about accommodation - district sends them back to Munich
Even today you can still find traces of the city patron in the city center.
For example, the head of a saint figure on the gable of the former Leibold House on Schrannenplatz is supposed to represent St. Prosper.
Two large statues show the patron saint of Erding as a Roman legionnaire: as an imposing marble statue in the parish church at the war memorial and as a bronze sculpture by Rudolf L. Reiter from the year 2000 on Münchener Straße in the Bräuhausviertel, the saint looks very martial.
It is not known whether St. Prosper was actually deployed as a soldier.
Doris Bauer suspects that the warlike attitude is probably intended to symbolize a soldier of Christ, i.e. a fighter for the faith.
Be that as it may: The people of Erding have taken their patron saint to heart – especially during the strong beer season.
