Victorin Gehring, OFM

1901 – 1978

Br. Victorin Gehring, OFM, was born in Untersimonswald, Germany, on Oct. 25, 1901. At the age of 24, he entered the Province of St. Elizabeth of Thuringia as a Tertiary Brother. He was received into the novitiate in 1928, professed temporary vows in 1929 and made his solemn profession of vows in 1932.

Br. Victorin came to the United States in 1935 and was assigned to St. Bonaventure Friary in Paterson, N.J. Under the direction of Br. Cajetan Baumann, OFM, he perfected his skills as a carpenter and cabinetmaker. Br. Victorian made exquisite Christmas cribs which were marketed by St. Anthony’s Guild and constructed more than 1,400 miniature stables during his lifetime.

In 1951, Br. Victorin was assigned to Rye Beach, N.H., where he helped transform the buildings into St. Francis College, the Province’s house of formation. He served at Christ the King Seminary, Allegany, N.Y., for one year before returning to Paterson.

He was a member of the first community to reside at St. Raphael’s Novitiate in Lafayette, N.J., and for 23 years he worked in the carpenter shop where he utilized his ability to repair any and all articles made of wood. The novitiate moved from Lafayette in 1967, but Br. Victorin remained a member of the Christ House community for the remainder of his life.

He died Oct. 1, 1978, at Newton General Hospital in Lafayette. Br. Victorian was almost 77 years old and a professed friar for 49 years.