Gualfardo of Verona

Saint Gualfardo of Verona was born around 1070 in Augsburg, in Swabia. An artisan and trader by trade, he was a master harnessmaker, skilled in crafting saddles. In 1096 he set out on pilgrimage with fellow merchants, and his journey brought him to Verona. There he worked quietly at his craft for a short time, yet his heart was drawn more to prayer than to profit. Seeking deeper communion with God, Gualfardo withdrew to a dense forest along the Adige River near Verona, living as a hermit for about twenty years. When hunters discovered him and brought him back to the city, he resumed humble work near the abbey of San Salvatore, joining labor to contemplation. After a flood drove him away, he built a simple hermit’s cell near the church of Santa Trinità in the countryside. Known for miracles and for welcoming those who sought him, he remained a man of solitude and gentle hospitality until his death near Verona in 1127. He is venerated as patron of Verona’s harnessmakers’ guild, the Arte dei seleri, bolzeri e tapezieri. His feast day is April 30.