Today is the feast day of St. Arnold of Soissons, who was also known by a number of names, including Arnoldus, Arnoul, Arnulf, Arnulphus; all of Soissons (c. 1040–1087). He “is a saint of the Catholic Church, the patron saint of hop-pickers, Belgian brewers, and brewers more generally. There are three known saints with the name Arnold, or some variation thereof, so it’s a bit confusing keeping them straight.
Here’s Arnold’s biography from his Wikipedia page:
Arnold, born in Brabant, the son of a certain Fulbertus was first a career soldier before settling at the Benedictine St. Medard’s Abbey, Soissons, France. He spent his first three years as a hermit, but later rose to be abbot of the monastery. His hagiography states that he tried to refuse this honor and flee, but was forced by a wolf to return. He then became a priest and in 1080, bishop of Soissons, another honor that he sought to avoid. When his see was occupied by another bishop, rather than fighting, he took the opportunity to retire from public life, founding the Abbey of St. Peter in Oudenburg.
As abbot in Oudenburg, Arnold brewed beer, as essential in medieval life as water. He encouraged local peasants to drink beer, instead of water, due to its “gift of health”. During the process of brewing the water was boiled and thus freed of pathogens, making the beer safer to drink. The beer normally consumed at breakfast and during the day at this time in Europe was called small beer, having a very low alcohol content, and containing spent yeast. It is likely that people in the local area normally consumed small beer from the monastery, or made their own small beer at the instructions of Arnold and his fellow monks. During one outbreak of sickness, Arnold advised the local people to avoid consuming water, in favor of beer, which advice effectively saved lives.
One miracle tale says, at the time of an epidemic, rather than stand by while the local people fell ill from drinking water, Arnold had them consume his monastery brews. Because of this, many people in his church survived the plague.
And here’s another account by Anastpaul:
Saint Arnold of Soissons (1040-1087) Bishop, Monk, Abbot – born Arnoul in 1040 at Flanders, Belgium and died in 1087 at the monastery at Oudenburg, diocese of Bruges, Flanders, Belgium of natural causes. Also known as Arnulf of Oudenburg. Patronages – brewers, hop pickers, miller, music, to find lost articles.
St Arnold, born in Brabant, the son of a certain Fulbertus was first a career soldier before settling at the Benedictine St Medard’s Abbey, Soissons, France. He spent his first three years as a hermit but later rose to be abbot of the monastery. His hagiography states that he tried to refuse this honour and flee but was forced by a wolf to return. He then became a priest and in 1080, Bishop of Soissons, another honour that he sought to avoid. When his see was occupied by another bishop, rather than fighting, he took the opportunity to retire from public life, founding the Abbey of St Peter in Oudenburg.
As abbot in Oudenburg, Arnold brewed beer, as essential in medieval life as water. He encouraged local peasants to drink beer, instead of water, due to its “gift of health.” During the process of brewing, the water was boiled and thus, unknown to all, freed of pathogens, making the beer safer to drink. The beer normally consumed at breakfast and during the day at this time in Europe was called small beer, having a very low alcohol content and containing spent yeast. It is likely that people in the local area normally consumed small beer from the monastery, or made their own small beer at the instructions of Arnold and his fellow monks. During one outbreak of sickness, Arnold advised the local people to avoid consuming water, in favour of beer, which advice effectively saved lives.
One miracle tale says, at the time of an epidemic, rather than stand by while the local people fell ill from drinking water, Arnold had them consume his monastery brews. Because of this, many people in his church survived the plague. The same happened with the outbreak of cholera, only this time, the epidemic was all around Belgium and Europe except in Oudenburg. Nobody in the town got sick. There are many depictions of St Arnold with a mashing rake in his hand, to identify him. He is honoured in July with a parade in Brussels on the “Day of Beer.”
There are many depictions of St. Arnold with a mashing rake in his hand, to identify him. For example, the label on Steenbrugge Abbey beers has a picture of St Arnold holding a mash rake.
Arnold is honoured in July with a parade in Brussels on the “Day of Beer,” which is probably around July 8, which is the date frequently listed as another feast day for Arnold.
His being the patron saint of brewers is recounted in several accounts during his lifetime.
After he founded the Abbey of Saint Peter in Oudenburg, “he brewed beer [there], an essential drink in medieval life as it was boiled during the process of brewing and therefore safe to drink – unbeknownst to them. He encouraged local peasants to drink the monastery’s brew for its “gift of health.”
Pious tradition tells of the time when a plague struck his town, he saved the townspeople from certain death by instructing them to avoid drinking water and instead donating beer for them to drink. Many survived the plague and for this Saint Arnold of Soissons became the patron of brewers, beer, and hop-pickers.”
Another reason given for his patronage of brewers is this story from shortly after his death.
Pious tradition tells the tale of the miracle of the beer mug, when parishioners travelled to the Remiremont Abbey to recover the remains of a deceased Arnulf. During there travels, the terrain was inhospitable and the temperature soared. With little to drink, the exhausted procession prayed: “By his powerful intercession the Blessed Arnold will bring us what we lack.”
Immediately the small remnants of beer at the bottom of a pot multiplied in such amounts the entirety of the pilgrims could quench their thirst and continue onwards. For this, Saint Arnulf is the patron of brewers and beer.
