St. John Gualbert
Encyclopedia
John Gualbert also known as Giovanni Gualberto or John Gualberto, was an Italian Roman Catholic saint, the founder of the Vallumbrosan Order
. He was a member of the Visdomini family of Florentine nobility. One Good Friday
he was entering Florence
accompanied by armed followers, when in a narrow lane he came upon a man who had killed his brother. He was about to kill the man in revenge, when the other fell upon his knees with arms outstretched in the form of a cross and begged for mercy in the name of Christ, who had been crucified on that day. John forgave him. He entered the Benedictine Church at San Miniato
to pray, and the figure on the crucifix bowed its head to him in recognition of his generosity. This story forms the subject of Burne-Jones's picture "The Merciful Knight", and has been adapted by Shorthouse in "John Inglesant".
John Gualbert became a Benedictine monk at San Miniato. He fought actively against simony
, of which both his abbot, Oberto, and the Bishop of Florence, Pietro Mezzabarba, were guilty. Unwilling to compromise with them, he left the monastery to lead a more perfect life. His attraction was for the cenobitic
, and not eremitic life, so after staying for some time with the monks at Camaldoli
, he settled at Vallombrosa, where he founded his monastery. Mabillon estimates its foundation before 1038.
.
St John Gualbert feast was not included in the Tridentine Calendar
, but was added in 1595 to the Roman Catholic calendar of saints
whose celebration was obligatory wherever the Roman Rite
was used. Owing to its limited worldwide importance, his feast was removed from that calendar in 1969. 12 July continues to be his feast day, as indicated in the Roman Martyrology
. and, according to the new rules given in the Roman Missal
of the same year, he may now be celebrated everywhere with his own Mass on that day, unless in some locality an obligatory celebration is assigned to the same day.
He is the patron of forester
s, park ranger
s, and parks.
Vallumbrosan Order
The Vallumbrosan Order is a Roman Catholic religious order, technically a Benedictine congregation, which derives its name from the motherhouse, Vallombrosa , situated c...
. He was a member of the Visdomini family of Florentine nobility. One Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
he was entering Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
accompanied by armed followers, when in a narrow lane he came upon a man who had killed his brother. He was about to kill the man in revenge, when the other fell upon his knees with arms outstretched in the form of a cross and begged for mercy in the name of Christ, who had been crucified on that day. John forgave him. He entered the Benedictine Church at San Miniato
San Miniato
San Miniato is a town and comune in the province of Pisa, in the region of Tuscany, Italy.San Miniato sits at an historically strategic location atop three small hills where it dominates the lower Arno valley between the valleys of Egola and Elsa...
to pray, and the figure on the crucifix bowed its head to him in recognition of his generosity. This story forms the subject of Burne-Jones's picture "The Merciful Knight", and has been adapted by Shorthouse in "John Inglesant".
John Gualbert became a Benedictine monk at San Miniato. He fought actively against simony
Simony
Simony is the act of paying for sacraments and consequently for holy offices or for positions in the hierarchy of a church, named after Simon Magus , who appears in the Acts of the Apostles 8:9-24...
, of which both his abbot, Oberto, and the Bishop of Florence, Pietro Mezzabarba, were guilty. Unwilling to compromise with them, he left the monastery to lead a more perfect life. His attraction was for the cenobitic
Cenobitic
Cenobitic monasticism is a monastic tradition that stresses community life. Often in the West, the community belongs to a religious order and the life of the cenobitic monk is regulated by a religious rule, a collection of precepts...
, and not eremitic life, so after staying for some time with the monks at Camaldoli
Camaldoli
Camaldoli is a frazione of the comune of Poppi, in Tuscany, Italy. It is mostly known as the ancestral seat of the Camaldolese monastic order, originated in the eponymous hermitage, which can still be visited....
, he settled at Vallombrosa, where he founded his monastery. Mabillon estimates its foundation before 1038.
Veneration
He was canonized in the year 1193 by Pope Celestine IIIPope Celestine III
Pope Celestine III , born Giacinto Bobone, was elected Pope on March 21, 1191, and reigned until his death. He was born into the noble Orsini family in Rome, though he was only a cardinal deacon before becoming Pope...
.
St John Gualbert feast was not included in the Tridentine Calendar
Tridentine Calendar
The Tridentine Calendar is the calendar of saints to be honoured in the course of the liturgical year in the official liturgy of the Roman Rite as reformed by Pope Pius V, implementing a decision of the Council of Trent, which entrusted the task to the Pope....
, but was added in 1595 to the Roman Catholic calendar of saints
Roman Catholic calendar of saints
The General Roman Calendar indicates the days of the year to which are assigned the liturgical celebrations of saints and of the mysteries of the Lord that are to be observed wherever the Roman Rite is used...
whose celebration was obligatory wherever the Roman Rite
Roman Rite
The Roman Rite is the liturgical rite used in the Diocese of Rome in the Catholic Church. It is by far the most widespread of the Latin liturgical rites used within the Western or Latin autonomous particular Church, the particular Church that itself is also called the Latin Rite, and that is one of...
was used. Owing to its limited worldwide importance, his feast was removed from that calendar in 1969. 12 July continues to be his feast day, as indicated in the Roman Martyrology
Roman Martyrology
The Roman Martyrology is the official martyrology of the Roman Rite of the Roman Catholic Church. It provides an extensive but not exhaustive list of the saints recognized by the Church.-History:...
. and, according to the new rules given in the Roman Missal
Roman Missal
The Roman Missal is the liturgical book that contains the texts and rubrics for the celebration of the Mass in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church.-Situation before the Council of Trent:...
of the same year, he may now be celebrated everywhere with his own Mass on that day, unless in some locality an obligatory celebration is assigned to the same day.
He is the patron of forester
Forester
250px|thumb|right|Foresters of [[Southern University of Chile|UACh]] in the [[Valdivian forest]]s of San Pablo de Tregua, ChileA forester is a person who practices forestry, the science, art, and profession of managing forests. Foresters engage in a broad range of activities including timber...
s, park ranger
Park ranger
A park ranger or forest ranger is a person entrusted with protecting and preserving parklands – national, state, provincial, or local parks. Different countries use different names for the position. Ranger is the favored term in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Within the United...
s, and parks.
Sources
- F. Salvestrini, Disciplina Caritatis, Il monachesimo vallombrosano tra medioevo e prima età moderna, Rome, Viella, 2008.
- F. Salvestrini, Santa Maria di Vallombrosa. Patrimonio e vita economica di un grande monastero medievale, Florence, Olschki, 1998.
- F. Salvestrini, Santa Vallombrosani in Liguria. Storia di una presenza monastica fra Dodicesimo e Diciassettesimo secolo, Roma, Viella, 2010.
- I Vallombrosani in Lombardia (XI-XVIII secolo), A cura di F. Salvestrini, Milano-Lecco: ERSAF, 2011.