patrons - Austria / II. Republic of Austria 2007 - 55 Euro Cent

The saint and patron saint of Vienna financed his studies as a baker's boy in Znojmo, entered the Order of the Redemptorists in Rome and was ordained as a 34-year-old priest. In Warsaw, he worked with great success until he and his brothers had to leave Warsaw on orders of Napoleon. His life's work, the pastoral station of St. Benno, was destroyed. In September 1808, the exiled Vicar General of the Redemptorists came to Vienna at the age of 57 years. Baron Penker, a friend and patron Hofbauers, Klemens procured a job as a temporary priest in the Minoritenkirche. From 1809 to 1813 he was practically condemned to inactivity, only rarely was he allowed to preach and confess. Hofbauer, however, began to act inconspicuously, becoming a counselor to many people. Archbishop Hohenwart appointed Hofbauer in July 1813 confessor of the Ursulines and director of the Church of St. Ursula in Johannesgasse. This was associated with the use of a rental house in the Seilerstätte. Hofbauer designed this house as his real workplace. Especially young people, especially students, became a spiritual center. Hofbauer discovered with missionary feeling the pastoral emergencies of the city. Although 97% of Vienna's baptismal certificate was Catholic, at the time of the anti-Semitic Enlightenment (Josephinism) religious life was in a bad state. Hofbauer used and spied on the proclamation of the Gospel to renew the faith of the Viennese. In his sermons, he addressed the hearts of the audience in simple but impressive words. His personal belief spread like a spark over the people who soon flocked to the "Apostle of Vienna" in droves. Hofbauer did not just work from the pulpit. He sat in the confessional many hours a day and made most of the conversions there. For this form of individual pastoral care Klemens had a special charisma. He was spiritual guide and life counselor for people from all professional and social backgrounds. Klemens Maria Hofbauer died at the age of 69 on March 15, 1820 in Vienna and was buried in the Romantic Cemetery of Maria Enzersdorf. Only after his death were the Redemptorists admitted as a religious order in Vienna. In 1862, Hofbauer's body was transferred to the church Maria am Gestade. In 1909, the canonization was carried out by Pope Pius X. Since 1914 Klemens Maria Hofbauer is the patron saint of Vienna.