Ansovinus
Encyclopedia
Saint Ansovinus (died March 13, 840 AD) was a bishop of Camerino
. Born in Camerino
, he may have been of Lombard
origin, and was educated at the cathedral school of Pavia. He was a hermit
at Castel Raimondo near Torcello
.
Before being elected bishop of Camerino, he also served as a counselor to Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor
. Ansovinus refused to accept this office until Louis was agreed that his see be kept exempt from the recruitment of the locals into the soldiery. During this time, bishops were often required to be responsible for recruiting men for the imperial army.
He was consecrated at Rome
by Pope Leo IV
, and returned to this city for the Council of Rome
held by Pope Nicholas I
in 861, where records show he signed as Ansuinus Camerinensis. His episcopate was characterized by his generosity to the poor and his pacification of the city's various factions.
of Sant'Ansovino. A monumental sarcophagus
erected around 1390 holds his relics. His festival was once celebrated by Camerino and the nobles of other castles in the region. The church of Santi Venanzio e Ansovino
at Rome was dedicated to him. Additionally, there are rural churches dedicated to him at Avacelli, Casenove, Bevagna
, and Monsammartino.
Bishopric of Camerino
The Italian archdiocese of Camerino-San Severino Marche is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory, with episcopal see Camerino, a city in the province of Macerata, in the central Italian Marche region, in the Apennines...
. Born in Camerino
Camerino
Camerino is a small town of 7.135 inhabitants in the Marches , in the province of Macerata, Italy. It is located in the Apennines bordering Umbria, between the valleys of the rivers Potenza and Chienti, about 40 miles from Ancona....
, he may have been of 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...
origin, and was educated at the cathedral school of Pavia. He was a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
at Castel Raimondo near Torcello
Torcello
Torcello is a quiet and sparsely populated island at the northern end of the Venetian Lagoon. It is considered the oldest continuously populated region of Venice, and once held the largest population of the Republic of Venice.-History:...
.
Before being elected bishop of Camerino, he also served as a counselor to Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor
Louis II, Holy Roman Emperor
Louis II the Younger was the King of Italy and Roman Emperor from 844, co-ruling with his father Lothair I until 855, after which he ruled alone. Louis's usual title was imperator augustus , but he used imperator Romanorum after his conquest of Bari in 871, which led to poor relations with Byzantium...
. Ansovinus refused to accept this office until Louis was agreed that his see be kept exempt from the recruitment of the locals into the soldiery. During this time, bishops were often required to be responsible for recruiting men for the imperial army.
He was consecrated at 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...
by Pope Leo IV
Pope Leo IV
Pope Saint Leo IV was pope from 10 April 847 to 17 July 855.A Roman by birth, he was unanimously chosen to succeed Sergius II. When he was elected, on 10 April 847, he was cardinal of Santi Quattro Coronati, and had been subdeacon of Gregory IV and archpriest under his predecessor...
, and returned to this city for the Council of Rome
Council of Rome
The Council of Rome was a meeting of Christian Church officials and theologians which took place in 382 under the authority of the bishop of Rome, Damasus I. The previous year, the Emperor Theodosius I had appointed the "dark horse" candidate Nectarius Archbishop of Constantinople...
held by Pope Nicholas I
Pope Nicholas I
Pope Nicholas I, , or Saint Nicholas the Great, reigned from April 24, 858 until his death. He is remembered as a consolidator of papal authority and power, exerting decisive influence upon the historical development of the papacy and its position among the Christian nations of Western Europe.He...
in 861, where records show he signed as Ansuinus Camerinensis. His episcopate was characterized by his generosity to the poor and his pacification of the city's various factions.
Veneration
His feast day is March 13. The cathedral at Camerino includes the marble medieval archArch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
of Sant'Ansovino. A monumental sarcophagus
Sarcophagus
A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos...
erected around 1390 holds his relics. His festival was once celebrated by Camerino and the nobles of other castles in the region. The church of Santi Venanzio e Ansovino
Santi Venanzio e Ansovino
The church of Santi Venanzio e Ansovino was situated near the Capitoline Hill in Rome. It was dedicated to two saints associated with the city of Camerino: Venantius of Camerino, a martyr; and Ansovinus, bishop of Camerino....
at Rome was dedicated to him. Additionally, there are rural churches dedicated to him at Avacelli, Casenove, Bevagna
Bevagna
Bevagna is a town and comune in the central part of the Italian province of Perugia, , in the flood plain of the Topino river.Bevagna is 25 km SE of Perugia, 8 km west of Foligno, 7 km north-north-west of Montefalco, 16 km south of Assisi and 15 km north-west of Trevi.It...
, and Monsammartino.