Simpert was an influential 8th-century Benedictine abbot and bishop who served the diocese of Augsburg. Born around 750, he received his education at Murbach Abbey in Alsace, where he eventually became the abbot. According to tradition, he was a nephew of Charlemagne, who appointed him to his episcopal position in 778. Throughout his leadership, he balanced his duties as a monastic ruler and a diocesan bishop, moving between several locations including Neuburg an der Donau and Staffelsee Abbey.
Ecclesiastical career
While managing the Augsburg bishopric, Simpert maintained his role as the abbot of Murbach. He is noted for strengthening the jurisdiction of his diocese and overseeing significant architectural projects, such as the reconstruction of the Basilica of St. Afra. He lived and worked across various sites, including the monastery and the city of Augsburg, until his death in 807.
Veneration and patronage
Simpert is recognized as a saint within the Catholic tradition. Following the approval of his cultus in 1468, he has been honored as a secondary patron of Augsburg since 1624. He is commemorated annually on October 13, the date of his death, and his remains were interred at St. Afra's church.