Arnold of Soissons

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Not to be confused with Arnold Janssen.

Arnold of Soissons
St. Arnold of Soissons is often depicted with a bishop's mitre and a mashing rake.
Bishop
Born	1040, Oudenaarde, Flanders
Died	1087
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Feast	8 July
Attributes	As a bishop, with a mashing rake
Patronage	hop-pickers, beer brewing
Saints Portal

Arnold of Soissons or Arnold of Oudenaarde (also Arnulf) is a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. He is often cited as the patron saint of hop-pickers and Belgian brewers.

Arnold lived from 1040 to 1087. Born in Oudenaarde, Flanders, he was first a career soldier (Arnulph the Strong of Oudenaarde), before settling at the Benedictine monastery of 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—a standard trope (compare Jiménez de Cisneros)— but was forced by a wolf to return. He then became a priest and finally a bishop, 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.

At the abbey, he began to brew 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. This same story is also told of Arnulf or Arnold of Metz, another patron of brewers. There are many depictions of St. Arnold with a mashing rake in his hand, to identify him. He is honored in July with a parade in Brussels on the "Day of Beer."

St. Arnold's feast day is on 8 July.

[edit] Blessing of the Beer

Latin: Bene dic, Domine, creaturam istam cerevisae, quam ex adipe frumenti producere dignatus es: ut sit remedium salutare humano generi: et praesta per invocationem nominis tui sancti, ut, quicumque ex ea biberint, sanitatem corporis, et animae tutelam percipiant. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

English: Bless, O Lord, this creature beer, that Thou hast been pleased to bring forth from the sweetness of the grain: that it might be a salutary remedy for the human race: and grant by the invocation of Thy holy name, that, whosoever drinks of it may obtain health of body and a sure safeguard for the soul. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

- Rituale Romanum (no. 58)