Beer saint’s day: Arnold of Soissons

14th August, 2015 by Rupert Millar

Today is the feast day of Arnold of Soissons, patron saint of hop-pickers and Belgian brewers.

Along with Arnulf of Metz (feast day July 18), Arnold (sometimes Arnulf) of Soissons is perhaps the foremost patron saint of brewers and hop-pickers – but don’t confuse them with each other or Belgium’s other beer saint, also helpfully called Arnold/Arnulf of Oudenaarde.

Born in Brabant in around 1040, Arnold of Soissons was a career soldier in his youth, a not uncommon occupation for many saints – see St Martin of Tours – and served under Henry I of France in various campaigns before entering the Benedictine monastery of St Medard in Soissons.

After spending three years as a hermit he was named abbot in around 1080 – an….

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2 Responses to “Beer saint’s day: Arnold of Soissons”

waldirdesouzajunior says:

June 16, 2018 at 12:19 am

THIS IS TE PATRON SAINT OF THE HOP AND THE BELGIAN BREWERS,SO I AM ASTONISHED AT THE GREAT SUCCES AND DADIVE OF THIS SAINT,BECAUSE SUCH SUCCES IS DEVIDE TO FAST AN INVENTION AND CREATIVE BLEND OF ADDITIONING HOP TO THE BEER AND THE FIRST APPEARANCE IN flanders (belgium) and netherlands also in lorraine (france but in this case another saint homonime),of new kind of beers saisonned with hop,not instead he was a catholic saint,and a brewer too,in some monasteries not only in belgium but in france territories this is strange,because the rules of catholicism were against this usage of alcoholic beverages,but we know that saint robert grounder of the cîteaux monastery order,and rules,fabricates beers,wines liqueurs and others alcoholic beverages,this is fantastic and funny at same time.but great.!!!!

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Gabriel Sodje says:

September 9, 2019 at 6:42 pm

This is awesome. The Catholic Church has patron Saints for every aspects of human life.

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