Anselm, Duke of Friuli
Encyclopedia
Saint
Anselm of Friuli, O.S.B., (died 805) was a medieval abbot
, and later canonized, originally a Lombard
nobleman. He was the first abbot of Nonantola
.
Anselm was the Duke of Forum Julii
(modern Friuli
) in the northeast of Lombard Italy
after Aistulf
succeeded to the throne of the Lombards. He left the world at the height of his secular career, and, in 750, built a monastery at Fanano
, a place given to him by Aistulf, who had married Anselm's sister Gisaltruda. Two years later he built a monastery at Nonantola, a short distance northeast of Modena
, which Aistulf endowed. Anselm then went to Rome
, where Pope Stephen II
invested him with the religious habit
of the Benedictine Order, gave him some relics of St. Sylvester and appointed him Abbot of Nonantola
. Anselm founded many hospice
s where the poor and the sick were sheltered and cared for by monks.
Desiderius
, who succeeded Aistulf as King of the Lombards in 756, banished Anselm from Nonantula in favor of his own protegé. Anselm spent the seven years of his exile at the Benedictine monastery of Monte Cassino
, but returned to Nonantola after Desiderius was taken prisoner by Charlemagne
in 774. Until 1083, Nonantola was an imperial monastery, and after Anselm's time its discipline often suffered from imperial interference in the election of its abbots.
Having been abbot for fifty years, Anselm died at Nonantola in 805, where the commune still honors him as its patron saint
. His feast day is March 3rd.
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
Anselm of Friuli, O.S.B., (died 805) was a medieval abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
, and later canonized, originally a Lombard
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
nobleman. He was the first abbot of Nonantola
Nonantola
Nonantola is a city and comune in the province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is located about 10 km from Modena on the road to Ferrara.-History:...
.
Anselm was the Duke of Forum Julii
Duke of Friuli
The dukes and margraves of Friuli were the rulers of the Duchy and March of Friuli in the Middle Ages.The dates given below, when contentious, are discussed in the articles of the respective dukes.-Lombard dukes:* 568–c.584 Grasulf I...
(modern Friuli
Friuli
Friuli is an area of northeastern Italy with its own particular cultural and historical identity. It comprises the major part of the autonomous region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, i.e. the province of Udine, Pordenone, Gorizia, excluding Trieste...
) in the northeast of Lombard Italy
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
after Aistulf
Aistulf
Aistulf was the Duke of Friuli from 744, King of Lombards from 749, and Duke of Spoleto from 751. His father was the Duke Pemmo.After his brother Ratchis became king, Aistulf succeeded him in Friuli. He succeeded him later as king when Ratchis abdicated to a monastery...
succeeded to the throne of the Lombards. He left the world at the height of his secular career, and, in 750, built a monastery at Fanano
Fanano
Fanano is a comune in the Province of Modena in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about 50 km southwest of Bologna and about 50 km south of Modena....
, a place given to him by Aistulf, who had married Anselm's sister Gisaltruda. Two years later he built a monastery at Nonantola, a short distance northeast of Modena
Modena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
, which Aistulf endowed. Anselm then went to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where Pope Stephen II
Pope Stephen II
Pope Stephen II was Pope from 752 to 757, succeeding Pope Zachary following the death of Pope-elect Stephen. Stephen II marks the historical delineation between the Byzantine Papacy and the Frankish Papacy.-Allegiance to Constantinople:...
invested him with the religious habit
Religious habit
A religious habit is a distinctive set of garments worn by members of a religious order. Traditionally some plain garb recognisable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious eremitic and anachoritic life, although in their case without conformity to a particular uniform...
of the Benedictine Order, gave him some relics of St. Sylvester and appointed him Abbot of Nonantola
Nonantola
Nonantola is a city and comune in the province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is located about 10 km from Modena on the road to Ferrara.-History:...
. Anselm founded many hospice
Hospice
Hospice is a type of care and a philosophy of care which focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's symptoms.In the United States and Canada:*Gentiva Health Services, national provider of hospice and home health services...
s where the poor and the sick were sheltered and cared for by monks.
Desiderius
Desiderius
Desiderius was the last king of the Lombard Kingdom of northern Italy...
, who succeeded Aistulf as King of the Lombards in 756, banished Anselm from Nonantula in favor of his own protegé. Anselm spent the seven years of his exile at the Benedictine monastery of Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino is a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, Italy, c. to the west of the town of Cassino and altitude. St. Benedict of Nursia established his first monastery, the source of the Benedictine Order, here around 529. It was the site of Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944...
, but returned to Nonantola after Desiderius was taken prisoner by Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
in 774. Until 1083, Nonantola was an imperial monastery, and after Anselm's time its discipline often suffered from imperial interference in the election of its abbots.
Having been abbot for fifty years, Anselm died at Nonantola in 805, where the commune still honors him as its patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
. His feast day is March 3rd.
Sources
- Paul the DeaconPaul the DeaconPaul the Deacon , also known as Paulus Diaconus, Warnefred, Barnefridus and Cassinensis, , was a Benedictine monk and historian of the Lombards.-Life:...
. Historia Langobardorum.