Coloman of Stockerau
Feast Day: October 13
Innocent pilgrim executed under false accusation whose miracles vindicated his sanctity.
Patronage
Austria, butchers, mental illness, travellers
Virtues & Traits
Biography
Coloman of Stockerau (died 1012) was a Swedish or Irish pilgrim whose brief life became legendary through unjust suffering and posthumous vindication. Traveling to the Holy Land, he was arrested in Austria under false accusation of being a spy due to his foreign appearance and inability to communicate clearly. Condemned to death, he maintained serene composure throughout his imprisonment and execution by hanging, forgiving his tormentors. Miracles reportedly occurred at his burial site, and his body was found incorrupt, leading to veneration as a martyr. He became particularly invoked by the mentally ill and those unjustly accused. His cult spread throughout Austria and Bavaria, with Stockerau becoming a pilgrimage site. Coloman exemplifies Christian patience, forgiveness of enemies, and faith amid injustice, embodying the triumph of innocence over worldly persecution.