Barbatus of Benevento

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Saint

Barbatus of Benevento
Bornc. 610
Roman Catholic Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
Major shrineThe Duomo of Benevento, where his relics have been preserved beneath the main altar since 1687
FeastFebruary 19
AttributesCrozier
PatronageBenevento

Barbatus of Benevento (

Monothelites
.

Biography

He was born in the village of Vandano, near

Trinitarian Romans
.

According to the ninth century vitae, he received a Christian education, and spent a good deal of time studying the

scriptures. He took holy orders as soon as allowed to do so, and was immediately employed by the local bishop as a preacher, a task for which he had considerable talent. Shortly thereafter, he was made the curate of St. Basil's Church in nearby Morcone,[1] where his preaching was not well received by indifferent parishioners only nominally Christian. He continued his calls for reform but eventually returned to Benevento, where he was welcomed back by those who remembered him from earlier.[2]

At the time, the people of Benevento still entertained some idolatrous superstitions, including veneration of a golden viper and a local walnut tree. The local Lombard prince,

chalice
for use in the church.

Barbatus himself was responsible for a practical form of resistance to Constans. In 1903 the foundations of the Temple of

city wall, reconstructed in 663 under the fear of an attack by Constans, the temple having been destroyed by order of Barbatus to provide the necessary material.[3]

The presiding bishop of Benevento, Ildebrand, died during the siege, which ended as Barbatus had foretold, with the defeat of Constans. After the withdrawal of the invaders, Barbatus was made bishop on March 10, 663 and continued his efforts to eliminate superstition. In 673 Duke Romuald placed the grotto of St. Michael at Gargano under the care of Barbatus.[4]

In 680, he assisted in a council held by

Monothelites. He died shortly after the end of the council, on 19 February 682,[5]
at about seventy years of age.

Barbatus is commemorated on February 19.[6] The Roman Martyrology lists Barbatus as one of the chief patrons of the city of Benevento. He is also the patron of Cicciano, Castelvenere, Casalattico and Valle dell'Angelo.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Butler, Alban. The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and Other Principal Saints, vol. II, D. & J. Sadlier, & Company, 1864Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ Staley, Tony. "Making a chalice from a gold snake", The Compass, Diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin, 17 February 2012
  3. ^ "Meomartini, A., Marucchi, O., and Savignoni, L. Notizie degli Scavi, 1904, 107 sqq". Archived from the original on 2018-05-07. Retrieved 2018-05-07.
  4. ISBN 9781137316554
  5. ^ "Barbatus”. New Catholic Dictionary. CatholicSaints.Info. 18 August 2012
  6. ^ Shea, John Gilmary. Pictorial Lives of the Saints, Benziger brothers, 1889, p. 100Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

Sources

  • Nicholas Everett, Patron Saints of Early Medieval Italy AD c.350-800 (PIMS/ Durham University Press, 2016), pp.39-59

External links

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