Saint Irmund von Jülich (also known as Irmonz or Irmund von Mündt) is venerated as a popular saint and the patron of cattle. He is traditionally depicted wearing a hermit’s robe, carrying a shepherd’s staff, and accompanied by livestock. His name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is commonly interpreted as meaning “great protection.”
According to tradition, Irmund lived as a shepherd and hermit in the 4th century, during the time of Bishop Severin of Cologne. He is said to have dwelled at the Hahnerhof, east of the present-day district of Mündt near Titz. Irmund is credited with introducing Christianity to this region, and records attest to the existence of a church in Mündt as early as the year 650—considered the predecessor of today’s Church of St. Urban.
On a scorching, drought-stricken summer he caused a spring to burst forth from the earth, saving both people and animals from thirst. This spring, known today as St. Irmund’s Well, is still believed to possess curative powers for humans and livestock alike.
After his death, Saint Irmund was buried in the church at Mündt. Though the church was destroyed in 1602 during a raid by Batavian troops, his bones and relics have survived miraculously. They are still preserved today in a chapel dedicated to him, built on the Hahnerhof in 1672. Adorned with a Baroque altar, the chapel has been a destination for pilgrimage for over six centuries.
Saint Irmund’s feast day is celebrated on January 28.
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