St. Florian: Millstone Path

INTERESTING POINTS ALONG THE WAY:

Upper Austria Open-Air Museum Sumerauerhof, Samesleiten 15, annual special exhibition: April 27 - Oct. 28

Augustinian Canons Abbey, Stiftstraße 1, www.stift-st-florian.at
Abbey tours: May - Sept. daily at 11, 13, 15 o'clock

Bruckner Organ Concert, May 25 - Oct. 13, Tue-Sun 10-12 and 14-17 o'clock

Upper Austria Fire Brigade Museum, Stiftstraße 2: May 1 - Oct. 28, Tue - Sun 10-12 and 14-17 o'clock

Florian spring, Wiener Straße 32

Adventure Nursery Sandner, closed on Thu

SPIRITUAL HIKING ON THE DONAUSTEIG:

Here you are again on the Upper Austria section of the Pilgrimage Way. East-West–South route.

The Abbey of St. Florian is one of the largest and best-known Baroque monasteries in Austria.
Since 1071, there has been a community of Augustinian Canons living here according to the spirituality of St. Augustine.
The St. Augustine (354/430) was a monastery founder, theologian, philosopher, and music theorist. Augustinian spirituality is characterised by his statement: “believe so that you may understand” – he is often depicted in paintings with a burning heart.
His message for today: “To bring forth the potential of my soul to bloom”

In St. Florian, you are reminded of the work of three important persons:
The St. Florian (3rd century/304) was an officer of the Roman army and commander of a unit for fire fighting. He bravely stood by persecuted Christians and paid with his life. He is patron saint of the fire brigade, bakers, chimney sweeps, soap boilers, and the first patron of the Diocese of Linz (the second is St. Severin). Together with St. Leopold, he is the patron saint of Upper Austria and the patron of Poland. Near the abbey is the Florian spring and the Florian path with meditation panels.

Valeria – who is reported to have been a courageous, strong, fearless woman. It is assumed that she was Florian’s partner. (Inscription on her tomb: Here lie the bones of VALERIA, the Godly widow of FLORIAN).

The Blessed Wilbirg (around 1225/1289), whose memorial stone is in the abbey church, set out at about age 16 with her friend Mathilde on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. After her return (which was considered a wonder for a woman at the time), she lived as an anchorite in St. Florian Abbey. Abbesses, bishops, and secular authorities from near and far came to seek advice from the mystic. In the antechamber of the crypt – where the sarcophagi of Wilbirg and Valeria lie – paintings also recall Wilbirg. Her symbols are: lily, dove, Wilbirg picking roses in the snow.

“To bring forth the potential of my soul to bloom” (St. Augustine)
I take this sentence with me on the “Millstone Path”.

• How can I achieve this?