Giovanni di Matera
Encyclopedia
Saint John of Matera or Mathera, also Saint John of Pulsano was a Benedictine monk.
He was born at Matera and lived at Monte Vergine
under William of Vercelli. He made many enemies by his upright life and was eventually imprisoned. He was rescued from prison by Grimoald, Prince of Bari
, who ordered him to give an account of his theology to prove his orthodoxy. He preached under Grimoald in Bari
.
His alternate name comes from his foundation of the monastery of Saint Mary of Pulsano
, of which he was the first abbot. He died in 1139 at Pulsano of natural causes. He was buried in a cave in his abbey. In 1830 his relics were translated to Matera Cathedral
, where they remain.
He is remembered on 20 June and is portrayed as an abbot driving the devil away with a rod.
He was born at Matera and lived at Monte Vergine
Monte Vergine
The Benedictine Williamites, more often known by the name of its chief house, Territorial Abbey of Montevergine in central Italy, was a Catholic monastic order....
under William of Vercelli. He made many enemies by his upright life and was eventually imprisoned. He was rescued from prison by Grimoald, Prince of Bari
Grimoald, Prince of Bari
Grimoald Alferanites was the prince of Bari from 1121 to 1132.After a civil war broke out in Bari, Risone, the archbishop of the city, was murdered and the princess of Taranto, Constance of France, was imprisoned at Giovinazzo by Grimoald and Alexander, Count of Conversano...
, who ordered him to give an account of his theology to prove his orthodoxy. He preached under Grimoald in Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
.
His alternate name comes from his foundation of the monastery of Saint Mary of Pulsano
Pulsano
Pulsano is a town and comune in the Taranto province in the Apulia region of southeast Italy....
, of which he was the first abbot. He died in 1139 at Pulsano of natural causes. He was buried in a cave in his abbey. In 1830 his relics were translated to Matera Cathedral
Matera Cathedral
Matera Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Matera, Basilicata, Italy. Formerly the seat of the Bishops, later Archbishops, of Matera, it is now the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Matera-Irsina.-History:...
, where they remain.
He is remembered on 20 June and is portrayed as an abbot driving the devil away with a rod.
Sources
- La Città dell'Uomo.it: Vita di San Giovanni di Matera
- SantieBeati.it: San Giovanni (Scalcione) da Matera
- Patron Saints Index
- Caravale, Mario (ed.), 2003: Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani. Rome