Bertharius
Encyclopedia
Bertharius (ca. 810 – 883) was a Benedictine abbot
of Monte Cassino
who is venerated as a saint
and martyr
. He was also a poet and a writer. A member of the Lombard
nobility, Bertharius as a young man made a pilgrimage
to Monte Cassino at the time of the abbacy of Bassacius and decided as a result to become a monk.
He became abbot in 856, succeeding Bassacius in that position. He became abbot at a critical time, in which Muslim incursions
threatened Central
and Southern Italy. Rome
had been sacked
in 846 AD.
Bertharius fortified the abbey with massive walls and towers between 856 and 873, while Louis II of Italy conducted various expeditions against the Muslim forces, beating them back temporarily.
Bertharius founded the city that he named Eulogimenopoli, later renamed San Germano, and today called Cassino
. Bertharius promoted the study of texts and embellished the abbatial church with precious furnishings. He established a new monastery for women at Teano
and maintained good relations with the city of Capua
.
In 873 Muslim raids in Campania and Latium resumed, and a band of raiders paid by the Duke of Naples, Athanasius
, established a base in the Apennines in 882. They burned the abbey of San Vincenzo al Volturno
, killing some of the monks there, and on September 4, 882 raiders attacked Monte Cassino, burning and destroying it. Bercharius and the monks managed to escape, finding refuge at the foot of the mountain of Monte Cassino, in the monastery of San Salvatore. Angelarius, a prior of Monte Cassino, took most of the monks to Teano. However, Bertharius remained at Monte Cassino.
In 883, the monastery was again attacked, and Bertharius was killed along with some other monks at the altar of St. Martin on October 22 of that year in the church of Saint Salvator at the foot of the hill.
Bertharius was succeeded by Angelarius, who rebuilt the church of St. Salvator (later named St. Germanus).
to Monte Cassino and in 1486 moved to the abbatial church there, in front of the tombs of Saints Benedict
and Scholastica
. In 1514, a chapel was dedicated in his honor; his body was placed under the altar. Various artistic depictions of Bertharius were made during succeeding centuries, but these were lost during the Battle of Monte Cassino
in World War II
. His cult was confirmed on August 26, 1727 by Pope Benedict XIII
.
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
of Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino is a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, Italy, c. to the west of the town of Cassino and altitude. St. Benedict of Nursia established his first monastery, the source of the Benedictine Order, here around 529. It was the site of Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944...
who is venerated as a saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
and martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
. He was also a poet and a writer. A member of the 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...
nobility, Bertharius as a young man made a pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
to Monte Cassino at the time of the abbacy of Bassacius and decided as a result to become a monk.
He became abbot in 856, succeeding Bassacius in that position. He became abbot at a critical time, in which Muslim incursions
History of Islam in southern Italy
The history of Islam in southern Italy begins with the Islamic conquest and subsequent rule of Sicily and Malta, a process that started in the 9th century. Islamic rule over Sicily was effective from 902, and the complete rule of the island lasted from 965 until 1061...
threatened Central
Central Italy
Central Italy is one of the five official statistical regions of Italy used by the National Institute of Statistics , a first level NUTS region and a European Parliament constituency...
and Southern Italy. 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...
had been sacked
Sack of Rome (846)
In 846 Arab raiders plundered the environs of Rome, including the Vatican, sacking Old St. Peter's and St. Paul's-Outside-the-Walls, but were prevented from entering the city itself by the Aurelian Wall...
in 846 AD.
Bertharius fortified the abbey with massive walls and towers between 856 and 873, while Louis II of Italy conducted various expeditions against the Muslim forces, beating them back temporarily.
Bertharius founded the city that he named Eulogimenopoli, later renamed San Germano, and today called Cassino
Cassino
Cassino is a comune in the province of Frosinone, Italy, at the southern end of the region of Lazio.Cassino is located at the foot of Monte Cairo near the confluence of the Rapido and Liri rivers...
. Bertharius promoted the study of texts and embellished the abbatial church with precious furnishings. He established a new monastery for women at Teano
Teano
Teano is a town and comune of Campania, Italy, in the province of Caserta, 30 km north-west of that town on the main line to Rome from Naples. It stands at the south-east foot of an extinct volcano, Rocca Monfina.- Ancient times and Middle Ages:...
and maintained good relations with the city of Capua
Capua
Capua is a city and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, situated 25 km north of Naples, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. Ancient Capua was situated where Santa Maria Capua Vetere is now...
.
In 873 Muslim raids in Campania and Latium resumed, and a band of raiders paid by the Duke of Naples, Athanasius
Athanasius of Naples
Athanasius was the Bishop and Duke of Naples from 878 to his death. He was the son of Gregory III and brother of Sergius II, whom he blinded and deposed in order to seize the throne while he was already bishop....
, established a base in the Apennines in 882. They burned the abbey of San Vincenzo al Volturno
San Vincenzo al Volturno
San Vincenzo al Volturno is an historic Benedictine monastery located in the territories of the Comune of Castel San Vincenzo, in the Province of Isernia, near the source of the river Volturno in Italy...
, killing some of the monks there, and on September 4, 882 raiders attacked Monte Cassino, burning and destroying it. Bercharius and the monks managed to escape, finding refuge at the foot of the mountain of Monte Cassino, in the monastery of San Salvatore. Angelarius, a prior of Monte Cassino, took most of the monks to Teano. However, Bertharius remained at Monte Cassino.
In 883, the monastery was again attacked, and Bertharius was killed along with some other monks at the altar of St. Martin on October 22 of that year in the church of Saint Salvator at the foot of the hill.
Bertharius was succeeded by Angelarius, who rebuilt the church of St. Salvator (later named St. Germanus).
Veneration
Bertharius’ body was immediately translatedTranslation (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 Monte Cassino and in 1486 moved to the abbatial church there, in front of the tombs of Saints Benedict
Benedict of Nursia
Saint Benedict of Nursia is a Christian saint, honored by the Roman Catholic Church as the patron saint of Europe and students.Benedict founded twelve communities for monks at Subiaco, about to the east of Rome, before moving to Monte Cassino in the mountains of southern Italy. There is no...
and Scholastica
Scholastica
Scholastica is a saint of the Eastern Orthodox Churches and the Roman Catholic Church. Born in Italy, she was the twin sister of St. Benedict of Nursia....
. In 1514, a chapel was dedicated in his honor; his body was placed under the altar. Various artistic depictions of Bertharius were made during succeeding centuries, but these were lost during the Battle of Monte Cassino
Battle of Monte Cassino
The Battle of Monte Cassino was a costly series of four battles during World War II, fought by the Allies against Germans and Italians with the intention of breaking through the Winter Line and seizing Rome.In the beginning of 1944, the western half of the Winter Line was being anchored by Germans...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. His cult was confirmed on August 26, 1727 by Pope Benedict XIII
Pope Benedict XIII
-Footnotes:...
.