Athanasius I, Bishop of Naples
Encyclopedia
Saint Athanasius I was the bishop of Naples from 850 to his death. He was the second son of Sergius I of Naples
and became bishop at the same time his brother, Gregory
, became co-duke. Athanasius was an intimate of both the court of the Western Emperor
and that of the Pope
. He was a familiaris of Lothair I
and Louis II and was made a papal legate
because of his connections with the Roman curia.
Before dying, Sergius bade Gregory to follow the counsel of his brother the bishop. Gregory did, but his son, Sergius II
, did not. He persectued Athanasius, who was opposed to the alliance with the Aghlabids of Sicily
. The bishop was exiled to a small island, only to be rescued by Amalfi
tan ships sent by the Emperor Louis. While travelling to Rome
, Athanasius died. He is regarded among Roman Catholics as the co-patron saint
of the city of Naples, and his feast day is 5 May.
Sergius I of Naples
Sergius I was the first duke of Naples of his dynasty, often dubbed the "Sergi," which ruled over Naples for almost three centuries from his accession in 840 until the death of his namesake Sergius VII in 1137....
and became bishop at the same time his brother, Gregory
Gregory III of Naples
Gregory III , eldest son of Sergius I of Naples and Drusa, was the duke of Naples as co-regent with his father from 850 and as successor to his father from his father's death in 864 to his own some six years later. He was recorded as a man of learning, fluent in both Greek and Latin.During his...
, became co-duke. Athanasius was an intimate of both the court of the Western Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
and that of the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
. He was a familiaris of Lothair I
Lothair I
Lothair I or Lothar I was the Emperor of the Romans , co-ruling with his father until 840, and the King of Bavaria , Italy and Middle Francia...
and Louis II and was made a papal legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
because of his connections with the Roman curia.
Before dying, Sergius bade Gregory to follow the counsel of his brother the bishop. Gregory did, but his son, Sergius II
Sergius II of Naples
Sergius II was Duke of Naples from 870 to 877.He continued the policies of his father, Gregory III, and grandfather, Sergius I. He maintained good relations with the Franks or the Byzantines only as it suited Neapolitan interests....
, did not. He persectued Athanasius, who was opposed to the alliance with the Aghlabids of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. The bishop was exiled to a small island, only to be rescued by Amalfi
Amalfi
Amalfi is a town and comune in the province of Salerno, in the region of Campania, Italy, on the Gulf of Salerno, c. 35 km southeast of Naples. It lies at the mouth of a deep ravine, at the foot of Monte Cerreto , surrounded by dramatic cliffs and coastal scenery...
tan ships sent by the Emperor Louis. While travelling 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...
, Athanasius died. He is regarded among Roman Catholics as the co-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...
of the city of Naples, and his feast day is 5 May.
Sources
- ErchempertErchempertErchempert was a monk of Monte Cassino in the final quarter of the ninth century. He chronicled a history of Lombard Benevento, giving especially vivid account of the violence surrounding his monastic retreat in his own day. The work, Historia Langobardorum Beneventanorum, stops in the winter of...
. Historia Langabardorvm Beneventarnorvm at The Latin LibraryThe Latin LibraryThe Latin Library is a website that collects public domain Latin texts. The texts have been drawn from different sources. Many were originally scanned and formatted from texts in the Public Domain. Others have been downloaded from various sites on the Internet . Most of the recent texts have been...
. - Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani, LIX. Mario Caravale, ed. Rome: 2002.