Saint Homobonus
Encyclopedia
Saint Homobonus is the patron saint
of business people, tailor
s, shoemakers, and clothworkers, as well as of Cremona
, Italy.
He was canonized
in 1199 at the urgent request of the citizens of Cremona. He died on November 13, 1197 and his feast day is celebrated on November 13.
He was a merchant
from Cremona
, northern Italy
. Born Omobono Tucenghi, he was a married layman
who believed that God
had allowed him to work in order that he would be able to support people that were living in a state of poverty
. His name is derived from the Latin
homo bonus ("good man").
Homobonus was able to pursue this calling in life easily as a result of the inheritance he received from his father, a prosperous tailor
and merchant
. He practiced his business at Cremona with scrupulous honesty. He also donated a large proportion of his profits to the relief of the poor.
Homobonus was a frequent church attendee that would partake in the Eucharist
everyday. While attending mass, prostrated in the form of a cross, on November 13, 1197, Homobonus died. Fourteen months later Homobonus was canonized by Pope Innocent III
. In the bull
of Homobonus's canonization Pope Innocent III called him "father of the poor", "consoler of the afflicted", "assiduous in constant prayer", "man of peace and peacemaker", "a man good in name and deed", "this saint, is still like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in our time."
The church of Sant'Omobono
in Rome
is dedicated to him.
s in the United States
. As the patron saint of business people, Homobonus has become a relevant figure in corporate culture.
There is even a digital marketing agency that takes the saint's name. Omobono Ltd http://www.omobono.co.uk is based in Cambridge, UK. A priest was one of the founders of the organisation.
In Italy
a comune is named after him Sant'Omobono Terme.
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 business people, tailor
Tailor
A tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothing professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor took on its modern sense in the late eighteenth century, and now refers to makers of men's and women's suits, coats, trousers,...
s, shoemakers, and clothworkers, as well as of Cremona
Cremona
Cremona is a city and comune in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po River in the middle of the Pianura Padana . It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local City and Province governments...
, Italy.
He was canonized
Canonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
in 1199 at the urgent request of the citizens of Cremona. He died on November 13, 1197 and his feast day is celebrated on November 13.
He was a 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...
from Cremona
Cremona
Cremona is a city and comune in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po River in the middle of the Pianura Padana . It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local City and Province governments...
, northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Born Omobono Tucenghi, he was a married layman
Layman
A layperson or layman is a person who is not an expert in a given field of knowledge. The term originally meant a member of the laity, i.e. a non-clergymen, but over the centuries shifted in definition....
who believed that God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
had allowed him to work in order that he would be able to support people that were living in a state of poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
. His name is derived from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
homo bonus ("good man").
Homobonus was able to pursue this calling in life easily as a result of the inheritance he received from his father, a prosperous tailor
Tailor
A tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothing professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor took on its modern sense in the late eighteenth century, and now refers to makers of men's and women's suits, coats, trousers,...
and 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...
. He practiced his business at Cremona with scrupulous honesty. He also donated a large proportion of his profits to the relief of the poor.
Homobonus was a frequent church attendee that would partake in the Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
everyday. While attending mass, prostrated in the form of a cross, on November 13, 1197, Homobonus died. Fourteen months later Homobonus was canonized by Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III was Pope from 8 January 1198 until his death. His birth name was Lotario dei Conti di Segni, sometimes anglicised to Lothar of Segni....
. In the bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
of Homobonus's canonization Pope Innocent III called him "father of the poor", "consoler of the afflicted", "assiduous in constant prayer", "man of peace and peacemaker", "a man good in name and deed", "this saint, is still like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in our time."
The church of Sant'Omobono
Sant'Omobono
Sant'Omobono is a church in Rome at the foot of the Capitoline Hill in rione Ripa.It was built in the 15th century and called San Salvatore in Portico...
in 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...
is dedicated to him.
Homobonus in popular culture
In recent years, statuettes of Saint Homobonus are being sold as novelty items or executive toyExecutive toy
An executive toy is a novelty item that is usually a small mechanical gadget placed on the desk of a corporate executive or other office workers...
s in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As the patron saint of business people, Homobonus has become a relevant figure in corporate culture.
There is even a digital marketing agency that takes the saint's name. Omobono Ltd http://www.omobono.co.uk is based in Cambridge, UK. A priest was one of the founders of the organisation.
In Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
a comune is named after him Sant'Omobono Terme.
External links
- Catholic Forum: Homobonus
- Vatican (Papal letter containing reference to Homobonus)
- San Omobono Sant' Omobono di Cremona