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Wernher of Oberwessel

Saint Wernher of Oberwessel Also known as

Wernher the Glass-Blower
Wernher of Trier
Varnerio
Werner

formerly 19 April

Profile

Born to a poor family, when he was old enough Wernher worked as a house servant at Oberwesel am Mittelrhein, Germany. Kidnapped and murdered at age 14 just after receiving Communion on Maundy Thursday. Because Wernher’s employers were Jewish, and because his death occurred during Holy Week, the incident led to another of the execrable instances of a local Jews being accused of using the blood of Christian children in their ceremonies, and a number of area residents were persecuted in violation of Church and civil orders. Venerated in Trier, Germany until 1963 when he was dropped from the local calendar.