Rainerius
Encyclopedia
Saint Rainerius is the patron saint
of Pisa
and of travellers. His feast day is June 17. His name may also be spelled Raynerius, Rainerius, Rainier, Rainieri, Ranieri, Raniero, or Regnier.
Born Rainerius Scacceri to a prosperous merchant
and shipowner of Pisa (his parents were named Gandulfo Scacceri and Mingarda Buzzaccherini), he was a traveling minstrel
as a youth. Later biographies stress his worldliness at this stage. He met, through his travels, a holy man, Alberto, a nobleman from Corsica
"who wore a cloak of animal hair, like a goat", and had entered the monastery of Saint Vitus (San Vito) in Pisa and become renowned for his work for the poor. Rainerius was so impressed that he became a devout Christian
. He set himself up as a merchant in order to pay for his fare to the Holy Land
in 1146. He soon resolved, however, to give up all of his wealth and live in complete poverty. In the Holy Land he lived as a hermit
and beggar, and visited all of the holy shrines (the Holy Sepulchre, Mount Tabor
, Hebron
, Bethlehem
). He did penance
for seven years. He also reportedly experienced many visions and revelations. His austerity was so excessive, his later biographer noted, that God had to tell him to eat.
In 1153 Rainerius returned to Pisa and entered the monastery of Saint Andrew (Sant'Andrea) and subsequently that of Saint Vitus. There he achieved fame and became a preacher
, being treated like a saint even in his lifetime, reputedly expelling demon
s and performing miracles. His body was carried in a triumph through the city to its resting place in the Duomo of Pisa upon his death.
s by Antonio Veneziano
in the Campo Santo. According to later stories, he was canonised by Pope Alexander III
. In 1161 or 1162 a Pisan canon
named Benincasa wrote a long and invaluable vita of the saint. He says Rainerius resembled the son of God through his life of strict imitatio Christi (imitation of Christ). Benincasa also goes so far as to claim "a royal priesthood in Christ"
of which Rainerius and all the baptised were a part.
With the growth of Pisan influence, Rainerius's cult spread throughout the Mediterranean. In 1632 the Archbishop of Pisa, the local clergy, and the Pisan magistrates elected Rainerius as the patron saint of the city and the diocese. In 1689 his body was translated
to the altar of the Duomo. He is generally portrayed as a bearded hermit in a hairshirt
holding a rosary
; as a young pilgrim in a hairshirt carrying a banner with the Pisan cross; as being raised up by devils; or as dying in a hairshirt.
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 Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
and of travellers. His feast day is June 17. His name may also be spelled Raynerius, Rainerius, Rainier, Rainieri, Ranieri, Raniero, or Regnier.
Born Rainerius Scacceri to a prosperous merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
and shipowner of Pisa (his parents were named Gandulfo Scacceri and Mingarda Buzzaccherini), he was a traveling minstrel
Minstrel
A minstrel was a medieval European bard who performed songs whose lyrics told stories of distant places or of existing or imaginary historical events. Although minstrels created their own tales, often they would memorize and embellish the works of others. Frequently they were retained by royalty...
as a youth. Later biographies stress his worldliness at this stage. He met, through his travels, a holy man, Alberto, a nobleman from Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
"who wore a cloak of animal hair, like a goat", and had entered the monastery of Saint Vitus (San Vito) in Pisa and become renowned for his work for the poor. Rainerius was so impressed that he became a devout Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
. He set himself up as a merchant in order to pay for his fare to the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
in 1146. He soon resolved, however, to give up all of his wealth and live in complete poverty. In the Holy Land he lived as 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...
and beggar, and visited all of the holy shrines (the Holy Sepulchre, Mount Tabor
Mount Tabor
-Places:*Mount Tabor, a hill in Israel near Nazareth believed by many to be the site of the Transfiguration of ChristIn the United States:*Mount Tabor, Indiana, an unincorporated community...
, Hebron
Hebron
Hebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
, Bethlehem
Bethlehem
Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...
). He did penance
Penance
Penance is repentance of sins as well as the proper name of the Roman Catholic, Orthodox Christian, and Anglican Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation/Confession. It also plays a part in non-sacramental confession among Lutherans and other Protestants...
for seven years. He also reportedly experienced many visions and revelations. His austerity was so excessive, his later biographer noted, that God had to tell him to eat.
In 1153 Rainerius returned to Pisa and entered the monastery of Saint Andrew (Sant'Andrea) and subsequently that of Saint Vitus. There he achieved fame and became a preacher
Preacher
Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...
, being treated like a saint even in his lifetime, reputedly expelling demon
Demon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
s and performing miracles. His body was carried in a triumph through the city to its resting place in the Duomo of Pisa upon his death.
Veneration
His life was the subject of a cycle of frescoFresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
s by Antonio Veneziano
Antonio Veneziano (painter)
Antonio Veneziano , was an Italian painter who was active mainly in Siena, Florence and Pisa, documented between 1369 and 1419....
in the Campo Santo. According to later stories, he was canonised by Pope Alexander III
Pope Alexander III
Pope Alexander III , born Rolando of Siena, was Pope from 1159 to 1181. He is noted in history for laying the foundation stone for the Notre Dame de Paris.-Church career:...
. In 1161 or 1162 a Pisan canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
named Benincasa wrote a long and invaluable vita of the saint. He says Rainerius resembled the son of God through his life of strict imitatio Christi (imitation of Christ). Benincasa also goes so far as to claim "a royal priesthood in Christ"
Priesthood of all believers
The universal priesthood or the priesthood of all believers, as it would come to be known in the present day, is a Christian doctrine believed to be derived from several passages of the New Testament...
of which Rainerius and all the baptised were a part.
With the growth of Pisan influence, Rainerius's cult spread throughout the Mediterranean. In 1632 the Archbishop of Pisa, the local clergy, and the Pisan magistrates elected Rainerius as the patron saint of the city and the diocese. In 1689 his body was translated
Translation (relics)
In Christianity, the translation of relics is the removal of holy objects from one locality to another ; usually only the movement of the remains of the saint's body would be treated so formally, with secondary relics such as items of clothing treated with less ceremony...
to the altar of the Duomo. He is generally portrayed as a bearded hermit in a hairshirt
Hairshirt
A hairshirt is a cilice, an uncomfortable shirt worn by some Catholics and, earlier, by Jews as a sign of penance. This may also refer to:*Hairshirt , a 1998 motion picture starring Dean Paras, Chris Hogan, Evan Glenn and Neve Campbell...
holding a rosary
Rosary
The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...
; as a young pilgrim in a hairshirt carrying a banner with the Pisan cross; as being raised up by devils; or as dying in a hairshirt.