| Saint Peter Damian | |
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| Bishop, Confessor and Doctor of the Church | |
| Born | c. 1007, Ravenna |
| Died | February 21, 1072, Faenza |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Feast | February 23 |
| Attributes | Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church, represented as a Cardinal bearing a knotted rope in his hand; also as a pilgrim holding a papal Bull; Cardinal's hat, Benedictine monk's habit |
 Saints Portal |
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Saint Peter Damian, O.S.B. (Petrus Damiani, also Pietro Damiani or Pier Damiani; c. Ravenna is a City and Comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Events 362 - Athanasius returns to Alexandria. 1245 - Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland Faenza is an Italian town and Comune, in the Province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, situated 50 km southeast of Bologna. The Calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a Liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more Saints Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable Christianity has used symbols from its very beginnings Each Saint has a story and a reason why he or she led an exemplary life A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight The title confessor is used in the Christian Church in several ways Doctor of the Church ( Latin doctor, teacher from Latin docere, to teach is a title given by a variety of Christian Churches to individuals A pilgrim is one who undertakes a Pilgrimage, literally 'far afield' A Papal bull is a particular type of Letters patent or charter issued by a Pope. A galero (pl galeri; L galerum, pl galera) in the Roman Catholic Church is a large broad-brimmed tasseled hat worn A religious habit is a distinctive set of garments worn by members of a Religious order. This article concerns Roman Catholic Order of Saint Benedict see also Benedictine Confederation and Benedictine. 1007[1] – February 21/22, 1072) was a reforming monk in the circle of Pope Gregory VII and a cardinal. Events 362 - Athanasius returns to Alexandria. 1245 - Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland Pope A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official usually a bishop, of the Catholic Church. In 1823, he was posthumously declared a Doctor of the Church. Year 1823 ( MDCCCXXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Doctor of the Church ( Latin doctor, teacher from Latin docere, to teach is a title given by a variety of Christian Churches to individuals Dante placed him in one of the highest circles of Paradiso as a great predecessor of Saint Francis of Assisi. For the opera by Olivier Messiaen see Saint-François d'Assise.
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Early life
He was born at Ravenna, orphaned early, and after a youth spent in hardship and privation, showed such signs of remarkable intellectual gifts that a brother, Damian, who was archpriest at Ravenna, took him away to be educated. Ravenna is a City and Comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. "Forane" redirects here For the veterinary anesthetic see Isoflurane. Adding his brother's name to his own, he made such rapid progress in his studies of theology and Canon law, first at Ravenna, then at Faenza, finally at Parma, that when about twenty-five years old he was already a famous teacher at Parma and Ravenna. Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective Canon Law, the Ecclesiastical law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system with all the necessary elements courts lawyers judges a fully articulated Faenza is an Italian town and Comune, in the Province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, situated 50 km southeast of Bologna. Parma is a City in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna near Modena famous for its Architecture and the fine countryside around it Parma is a City in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna near Modena famous for its Architecture and the fine countryside around it
Religious life
About 1035, however, he deserted his secular calling and, avoiding the compromised luxury of Cluniac monasteries, entered the isolated hermitage of Fonte Avellana, near Gubbio. Saint Anne (also Ann or Anna of David's house and line was the mother of the Virgin Mary, according to Christian tradition The town and commune of Cluny or Clugny lies in the modern-day département of Saône-et-Loire in the région Although today's meaning is usually a place where a Hermit lives in seclusion from the world hermitage was more commonly used to mean a settlement where a person or a group Fonte Avellana was a Roman Catholic hermitage in Serra Sant'Abbondio in the Marche in Italy Gubbio is a town and Comune in the far northeastern part of the Italian Province of Perugia ( Umbria) It is located on the first slope of Mt Both as novice and as monk, his fervor was remarkable but led him to such extremes of self-mortification in penance that his health was affected. For the city in Texas, see Novice Texas. Buddhism See also Buddhist Novitiate In many Buddhist Penance is repentance of Sins as well as the proper name of the Catholic and Orthodox Christian Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation/Confession On his recovery, he was appointed to lecture to his fellow-monks, then, at the request of Guy of Pomposa and other heads of neighboring monasteries, for two or three years he lectured to their brethren also, and (about 1042) wrote the life of St. Romuald for the monks of Pietrapertosa. Saint Romuald (c 951&ndash traditionally 19 June, c 1025/27 was the founder of the Camaldolese order and a major figure in the eleventh-century "Renaissance Geography Pietrapertosa is a town and Comune in the Province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata. Soon after his return to Fonte Avellana he was appointed economus of the house by the prior, who designated him as his successor. Prior is a Title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier first' with several notable uses This, in fact, he became in 1043, and he remained prior of Fonte Avellana till his death.
A zealot for monastic and clerical reform, he introduced a more severe discipline, including the practice of flagellation ("the disciplina"), into the house, which, under his rule, quickly attained celebrity, and became a model for other foundations, even the great abbey of Monte Cassino: subject-hermitages were founded at San Severino, Gamogna, Acerreta, Murciana, San Salvatore, Sitria and Ocri. Flagellation is the act of whipping (Latin flagellum, "whip" the human body An abbey (from Latin abbatia derived from Syriac abba "father" is a Christian Monastery or For information about the World War II battle see the Battle of Monte Cassino. San Salvatore is the name of a number of places in Italy including the communes of San Salvatore di Fitalia, Province of Messina San Salvatore Monferrato Scheggia e Pascelupo is a Comune (municipality in the Province of Perugia in the Italian region Umbria, located about 40 km northeast There was much opposition outside his own circle to such extreme forms of penitence, but Peter's persistent advocacy ensured its acceptance, to such an extent that he was obliged later to moderate the imprudent zeal of some of his own hermits.
Another innovation was that of the daily siesta, to make up for the fatigue of the night office. A siesta ( is a short nap taken in the early afternoon often after the midday Meal. During his tenure of the priorate a cloister was built, silver chalices and a silver processional cross were purchased, and many books added to the library. A cloister (from Latin claustrum) is a part of Cathedral, Monastic and Abbey architecture A chalice (from Latin calix, cup borrowed from Greek kalyx, shell husk is a goblet intended to hold drink A procession (via Middle English processioun, French procession, derived from Latin processio, itself from procedere, to go forth advance
Reformer
Although living in the seclusion of the cloister, Peter Damian watched closely the fortunes of the Church, and like his friend Hildebrand, the future Pope Gregory VII, he strove for reforms in a deplorable time. Pope When Benedict IX resigned the pontificate into the hands of the archpriest John Gratian (Gregory VI) in 1045, Peter hailed the change with joy and wrote to the new pope, urging him to deal with the scandals of the church in Italy, singling out the wicked bishops of Pesaro, of Città di Castello and of Fano. Pope Benedict IX (c 1012 &ndash 1055 1065 or 1085 born Theophylactus, was Pope from 1032 to 1044 again in 1045 and finally from 1047 to 1048 the only "Forane" redirects here For the veterinary anesthetic see Isoflurane. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Pesaro is a town and Comune in the Italian region of the Marche, capital of the Pesaro e Urbino province, on the Adriatic. Città di Castello is a town and Comune in the Province of Perugia, in the northern part of the Umbria region of Italy. This article is about the Italian town For the Danish island see Fanø.
Extending the area of his activities, he entered into communication with the Emperor Henry III. Henry III ( 29 October 1017 &ndash 5 October 1056) called the Black or the Pious, was a member of the Salian Dynasty He was present in Rome when Clement II crowned Henry III and his consort Agnes, and he also attended a synod held at the Lateran in the first days of 1047, in which decrees were passed against simony. Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Clement II, né Suidger of Morsleben and Hornburg ( German Suidger von Morsleben und Hornburg) (1005 &ndash October 9, 1047) A synod (also known as a council) is a council of a church, usually a Christian church convened to decide an issue of doctrine administration or application Lateran and Laterano are the shared names of several architectural projects throughout Rome. Simony is the Ecclesiastical crime of paying for Holy offices or positions in the hierarchy of a church named after Simon Magus, who appears in the
Liber Gomorrhianus and Hildebrand's reforms
After this he returned to his hermitage. About 1050, during the pontificate of Pope Leo IX, Peter published a scathing treatise on the vices of the clergy, Liber Gomorrhianus, dedicating it to the pope. Pope Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given Religion. In this "Book of Gomorrah" Petrus Damiani made an attack on homosexual practices, mutual masturbation, copulation between the thighs, anal copulation and solitary masturbation, [1] as subversive disruptions against the moral order occasioned by the madness associated with an excess of lust. Homosexuality refers to sexual behavior with or attraction to people of the same sex or to a Homosexual orientation. It caused a great stir and aroused not a little enmity against its author. Even the pope, who had at first praised the work, was persuaded that it was exaggerated and his coldness drew from Damian a vigorous letter of protest. Meanwhile the question arose as to the validity of the ordinations of simoniacal clerics. Peter Damiani wrote (about 1053) a treatise, the Liber Gratissimus, in favour of their validity, a work which, though much combatted at the time, was potent in deciding the question in their favour before the end of the twelfth century.
Although various forms of same-sex behaviour were discussed in contemporary handbooks of penance, such as those by Burchard of Worms and Regino of Prum, this is the only theological tract which exclusively addresses this theme. It voices many of the standard medieval Christian charges: the men of Sodom were guilty of desiring sexual relations with Lot and the visiting angels, bringing down the wrath of God and their own destruction; same-sex relations are a more serious offence than bestiality, since two souls are damned, and should require imposition of the most severe penance on clergy and laity; and such behaviour may be likened to the infection of cancer and leprosy, an enormous 'crime' which destroys both the body and soul. Cancer (medical term Malignant Neoplasm) is a class of Diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled Leprosy (from the Greek lepi (λέπι meaning scales on a fish or Hansen's disease, is a chronic disease caused by the bacterium
Damiani was also a determined foe of simony, but his fiercest wrath was directed against the married clergy. Simony is the Ecclesiastical crime of paying for Holy offices or positions in the hierarchy of a church named after Simon Magus, who appears in the In June, 1055, during the pontificate of Victor II (q. v. ), Damian attended a synod held at Florence, where simony and clerical incontinence were once more condemned. Florence ( Italian: Firenze Florentia and Fiorenza) is the Capital City of the Italian region of Tuscany Simony is the Ecclesiastical crime of paying for Holy offices or positions in the hierarchy of a church named after Simon Magus, who appears in the
Philosophy
Peter often condemned philosophy. Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence knowledge truth beauty justice validity mind and language He claimed that the first grammarian was the Devil, who taught Adam to decline deus in the plural. The Devil is the See also Adam and Eve Adam ( Hebrew: אָדָם was according to a literal interpretation of Genesis, the first man created by He argued that monks should not have to study philosophy, because Jesus did not choose philosophers as disciples, and so philosophy is not necessary for salvation. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) But the idea (later attributed to Thomas Aquinas) that philosophy should serve theology as a servant serves her mistress originated with him[2]. However, this apparent animosity may reflect his view that logic is only concerned with the validity of argument, rather than the nature of reality. Similar views are found in Al-Ghazali and Wittgenstein. Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Ghazālī (1058-1111 ( ابو حامد محمد ابن محمد الغزالی or امام محمد غزالی was born and died
The most well-known view defended by Peter is that God can bring it about that a past event did not exist. This is apparently a contradiction. If it had been the case that p five minutes ago, and now God brings it about that it never was p, this implies both p has been the case, and never has been. However, it may be that Peter thought God can act outside time, as Gregory of Rimini later argued[3]. Gregory of Rimini (c 1300 Rimini &ndash November 1358 Vienna) also called Gregorius de Arimino or Ariminensis, was one of the great
Papal envoy and Cardinal
During his illness the pope died, and Frédéric, abbot of Monte Cassino, was elected pope as Stephen IX. Pope Stephen IX (c 1020 - March 29, 1058) was Pope from August 3, 1057 to March 1058 In the autumn of 1057, Stephen IX determined to create Damian a cardinal. A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official usually a bishop, of the Catholic Church. For a long time he resisted the offer, for he was more at ease as an itinerant hermit-preacher than a reformer from within the Curia, but was finally forced to accept, and was consecrated Cardinal Bishop of Ostia on November 30, 1057. The Bishop of Ostia is the ecclesiastical head of the Catholic Diocese of Ostia, one of the seven Suburbicarian sees of Rome Events 1700 - Battle of Narva — A Swedish army of 8500 men under Charles XII defeats In addition he was appointed administrator of the Diocese of Gubbio. The new cardinal was impressed with the great responsibilities of his office and wrote a stirring letter to his brother-cardinals, exhorting them to shine by their example before all. Four months later Pope Stephen died at Florence, and the Church was once more distracted by schism. The word schism (ˈsɪzəm or /ˈskɪzəm/ from the Greek σχίσμα skhísma (from σχίζω skhízō, "to tear to split" Peter was vigorous in his opposition to the antipope Benedict X, but force was on the side of the intruder and Damiani retired temporarily to Fonte Avallana. An antipope ( Latin: antipapa) is a person who makes a widely accepted claim to be the lawful Pope, in opposition to the pope recognised by the Roman Pope/Antipope Benedict X (reigned 1058&ndash1059 died ca. 1073 or 1080 was born John Mincius and later became Cardinal Bishop of Velletri.
Milan
About the end of the year 1059 Peter was sent as legate to Milan by Pope Nicholas II. Milan (Milano Milan (listen) is one of the largest cities in Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy. Nicholas II (died July 27 1061 born Gérard de Bourgogne, Pope from 1059 to July 1061 was at the time of his election the Bishop of Florence. So bad was the state of things at Milan, that benefices were openly bought and sold and the clergy publicly married the women they lived with. But the resistance to the reform of Ariald the Deacon and Anselm, Bishop of Lucca rendered a contest so bitter that an appeal was made to the Holy See. Saint Arialdo (c 1010 - June 27, 1066) is a Milanese saint of the eleventh century Saint Anselm of Lucca the Younger ( Milan, 1036&ndash March 18, 1086) was a prominent figure in the Investiture Controversy and in the fighting The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Nicholas II sent Damian and the Bishop of Lucca as his legates. But now the party of the irregular clerics took alarm and raised the cry that Rome had no authority over Milan. Peter boldly confronted the rioters in the cathedral, he proved to them the authority of the Holy See with such effect that all parties submitted to his decision. This article is about the history and organisation of the cathedral
He exacted first a solemn oath from the archbishop and all his clergy that for the future no preferment should be paid for; then, imposing a penance on all who had been guilty, he re-instated in their benefices all who under took to live in celibacy. Penance is repentance of Sins as well as the proper name of the Catholic and Orthodox Christian Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation/Confession This prudent decision was attacked by some of the rigourists at Rome, but was not reversed. Unfortunately, on the death of Nicholas II, the same disputes broke out; nor were they finally settled till after the martyrdom of St. Ariald in 1066. Meanwhile Peter was in vain pleading to be released from the cares of his office. Neither Nicholas II nor Hildebrand would consent to spare him.
He rendered valuable assistance to Pope Alexander II in his struggle with the antipope, Honorius II. Alexander II (died April 21, 1073) born Anselmo da Baggio, was Pope from 1061 to 1073 Antipope Honorius II should not be confused with Pope Honorius II. In July, 1061, the pope died and once more a schism ensued. Damian used all his powers to persuade the antipope Cadalous to withdraw, but to no purpose. Finally Anno II, Archbishop of Cologne and acting regent in Germany, summoned a council at Augsburg at which a long argument by Peter Damiani was read and greatly contributed to the decision in favour of Alexander II. Augsburg is an independent City in the south-west of Bavaria.
In 1063 the pope held a synod at Rome, at which Damian was appointed legate to settle the dispute between the Abbey of Cluny and the Bishop of Mâcon. The town and commune of Cluny or Clugny lies in the modern-day département of Saône-et-Loire in the région The former bishopric of Mâcon was located in Burgundy. History The city of Mâcon formerly the capital of the Mâconnais now of the Department of Saône-et-Loire He proceeded to France, summoned a council at Châlon-sur-Saône, proved the justice of the contentions of Cluny, settled other questions at issue in the Church of France, and returned in the autumn to Fonte Avellana. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Not to be confused with Châlons-en-Champagne, formerly known as Châlons-sur-Marne While he was in France the antipope Cadalous had again become active in his attempts to gain Rome, and Damian brought upon himself a sharp reproof from Alexander and Hildebrand for twice imprudently appealing to the royal power to judge the case anew. In 1067 the cardinal was sent to Florence to settle the dispute between the bishop and the monks of Vallombrosa, who accused the former of simony. Vallombrosa is a Benedictine abbey in the Comune of Reggello (Tuscany Italy c His efforts, however, were not successful, largely because he misjudged the case and threw the weight of his authority on the side of the bishop. The matter was not settled till the following year by the pope in person.
In 1069 Damian went as the pope's legate to Germany to prevent King Henry from repudiating his wife Bertha. This task he accomplished at a council at Frankfurt and returned to Fonte-Avellana, were he was left in peace for two years.
Early in 1072 he was sent to Ravenna to reconcile its inhabitants to the Holy See, they having been excommunicated for supporting their archbishop in his adhesion to the schism of Cadalous. Antipope Honorius II should not be confused with Pope Honorius II. On his return thence he was seized with fever near Faenza. He lay ill for a week at the monastery of Santa Maria degl'Angeli, now Santa Maria Vecchia. On the night preceding the feast of the Chair of St. Peter at Antioch, he ordered the office of the feast to be recited and at the end of the Lauds he died, at Faenza. Antioch on the Orontes (Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Δάφνῃ Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου or Ἀντιόχεια ἡ Μεγάλη Antiochia ad Orontem also He was at once buried in the monastery church, lest others should claim his relics. A relic is an object or a personal item of religious significance carefully preserved with an air of Veneration as a tangible memorial
Having served the papacy as legate to France and to Florence, he was allowed to resign his bishopric in 1067. After a period of retirement at Fonte Avellana, he proceeded in 1069 as papal legate to Germany, and persuaded the emperor Henry IV to give up his intention of divorcing his wife Bertha. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Henry IV ( November 11, 1050 &ndash August 7, 1106) was King of Germany from 1056 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 until
During his concluding years he was not altogether in accord with the political ideas of Hildebrand. He died at Faenza, the year before Hildebrand became pope, as Gregory VII. Faenza is an Italian town and Comune, in the Province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, situated 50 km southeast of Bologna. Pope "It removed from the scene the one man who could have restrained Gregory," Norman F. Cantor remarked (Civilization of the Middle Ages, p 251).
Although he has never officially been canonised, Petrus Cardinal Damiani is considered to be a saint and was made a Doctor of the Roman Catholic Church by Pope Leo XII in 1828. Canonization is the act by which a particular Christian church declares a deceased person to be a Saint and is included in the canon or list of recognized saints Doctor ( gen: doctoris) means teacher in Latin. The word is originally an Agentive noun of the verb docēre ('teach' Pope Leo XII ( August 22, 1760 – February 10, 1829) born Annibale Francesco Clemente Melchiore Girolamo Nicola della Genga, was The year 1828 ( MDCCCXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap
Six times has his body been translated, each time to a more splendid resting-place. It now lies in a chapel dedicated to the saint in the cathedral of Faenza since 1898. Year 1898 ( MDCCCXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common No formal canonization ever took place, but his cult has existed since his death at Faenza, at Fonte-Avellana, at Monte Cassino, and at Cluny. Canonization is the act by which a particular Christian church declares a deceased person to be a Saint and is included in the canon or list of recognized saints In 1823 Pope Leo XII extended his feast (February 23) to the whole Church and pronounced him a Doctor of the Church. Year 1823 ( MDCCCXXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable
The saint is represented in art as a cardinal bearing a knotted rope (the disciplina) in his hand; also sometimes he is depicted as a pilgrim holding a papal Bull, to signify his many legations. A pilgrim is one who undertakes a Pilgrimage, literally 'far afield' A Papal bull is a particular type of Letters patent or charter issued by a Pope.
Writings
Petrus Damiani's voluminous writings relect the spiritual conditions of Italy: the groundswell of intense personal piety that would overflow in the First Crusade at the end of the century was an extremely vigorous controversialist, and his Latin abounds in denunciatory epithets. The First Crusade was launched in 1095 by Pope Urban II with the dual goals of conquering the sacred city of Jerusalem and the Holy Land and freeing Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. He was especially devoted to the Virgin Mary, and wrote an Officium Beatae Virginis, in addition to many letters, sermons, and other writings. This ecumenical article is about general Christian views on and veneration of the Virgin Mary His most famous work is De Divina omnipotentia, a long letter in which he discusses God's power.
External links
- Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry
"Peter Damian". Catholic Encyclopedia. The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to today as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language Encyclopedia published by The Encyclopedia (1913). New York: Robert Appleton Company.
References
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain. The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911 is a 29-volume reference work that marked the beginning of the Encyclopædia Britannica The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone
- Opera Omnia, in JP Migne, ed. , Patrologia Latina, (PL), vols 144 and 145, Paris: Vives.
- Zupko, J. , article 'Gregory of Rimini' in A Companion to Philosophy in the Middle Ages, e. d Gracia & Noone.
Footnotes
Further reading
- Owen F. Blum, "The Monitor of the Popes: St. Peter Damian," in Studi Gregoriani vol. 2 (1947), pp 459-76
- John Boswell, Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality Chicago (1980)
- Pierre J. Payer, 1962. Book of Gomorrah : An Eleventh-Century Treatise against Clerical Homosexual Practices, Waterloo, Ontario: Wilfrid Laurier University Press
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