Saint Gall was a 6th-century Irish missionary and a devoted follower of Columbanus. Although some scholars debate his exact origins, tradition holds that he traveled from Ireland to mainland Europe as one of the twelve companions of Columbanus. He eventually established a hermitage in the forests near Lake Constance, where he lived a solitary life. Known for his preaching and his refusal to accept high ecclesiastical offices, he remained a dedicated hermit until his death in Arbon around 645.