the presence of Bernard and Norbert of Xanten, officially made Gotthard a saint. On 4 May 1132, Bernard translated Gotthard's relics from the abbatial church to the cathedral at Hildesheim. On 5 May the first liturgical festivity in honor of Gotthard was celebrated. Miracles were attributed to the relics. The Gotthard shrine is one of the oldest remaining relic shrines of the Middle Ages, dating from about 1140. Veneration of Gotthard spread to Scandinavia, Switzerland, and Eastern Europe. Gotthard was invoked against fever, dropsy, childhood sicknesses, hailstones, the pain of childbirth, and gout. Niederaltaich Abbey made its famous abbot the patron saint of the abbey's well-known grammar school, the St.-Gotthard-Gymnasium. Gotthard also became the patron saint of traveling merchants, and thus many churches and chapels were dedicated to him in the Alps. According to an ancient Ticinese tradition, the little church in St. Gotthard Pass (San Gottardo) in the Swiss Alps was founded by Galdino, Archbishop of Milan (r. 1166-76). Goffredo da Bussero, however, attributes the founding of the church to Enrico da Settala, Bishop of Milan from 1213 to 1230. The hospice was entrusted to the care of the Capuchin Order in 1685 by Federico Visconti, and later passed under the control of a confraternity of Ticino. See also List of Catholic saints Named after Several places and events are named in honour of the Saint: Gothard is a popular surname. St Gotthard Pass historically links the canton of Ticino with the German speaking part of Switzerland Szentgotthárd Abbey in Hungary Szentgotthárd, a Town in Hungary Battle of Saint Gotthard (1664) - part of the Austro-Turkish war Battle of Saint Gotthard (1705) - part of Rákóczi's anti-Habsburg rebellion References External links Godehard (Gotthard) von Hildesheim Opening of the Godehard Shrine (video) 960 births 1038 deaths 11th-century German bishops Roman Catholic bishops of Hildesheim Medieval German saints People from Deggendorf (district) 11th-century Christian saints Burials at Hildesheim Cathedral