St. Petronax of Monte Cassino

Italian

 Benedictine  Abbot

Feast Day : 6 May

St. Petronax is another obscure, but important saint in the history of the Benedictines. He was born about the year 670 in Brescia, Italy. As is true of many of the saints in the early centuries, we don't know anything about his birth, family or early life.

At some time in his younger years, he came to know Pope Gregory II, who encouraged him to make a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Benedict of Nursia at Monte Cassino. In 581, the Lombards had destroyed the monastery, which St. Benedict had built. In 718 Petronax found Benedict's tomb among the rubble of the monastery ruins.

Petronax also found a few solitaries living among the ruins. In the 8th century, the solitary life was a very common form of religious life in which one totally dedicated himself or herself to God through prayer and manual labor. Petronax decided to join the solitaries and because of his holiness of life, he was elected their superior.

Many disciples soon joined him and with the assistance of several noblemen, they were able to rebuild the monastery of Monte Cassino. Tradition tells us that Pope Gregory gave him an autographed copy of the Rule written by St. Benedict.

St. Willibald, the bishop of Eichstätt is believed to have spent ten years at Monte Cassino under Petronax direction. Many other well known saints and nobleman are said to have spent time within the walls of this famous newly restored monastery.

Petronax spent the remainder of his life as abbot of Monte Cassino and is believed to have died of advanced age on May 6, 750. While we don't know many facts about his life, he must have been an impressive man to obtain the assistance of three popes and many noble families to rebuild this now famous monastery. He also must have been a very holy man to attract so many to the monastic life.

Related Post

SAINT OF THE DAY

• Saint Nicetius of Lyon
• Saint John Payne
• ⛪ Blessed Zofia Czeska-Maciejowska
• ⛪ Blessed Lodovico Pavoni
• ⛪ Blessed Fr Giuseppe Girotti - Dominican Priest, Martyr
• ⛪ Blessed Karl of Austria
• ⛪ Saint Hugh of Châteauneuf - Bishop of Grenoble
• ⛪ Saint Mary of Egypt
• ⛪ Saint of the Day : January
• ⛪ Saint of the Day : June
• ⛪ Saint Simon Marie Antoine Just Ranfer De Bretenieres - Priest
• ⛪ Saint Sylvester of Assisi
• ⛪ Saint Conon the Gardener
• ⛪ Saint John of the Cross
• ⛪ Saint Peter of Pappacarbone - Bishop of Policastro
• ⛪ Saint Adrian and Natalia of Nicomedia - Martyrs
• ⛪ Saint Casimir of Poland - Confessor
• ⛪ Saint Luke Casali - Monk & Priest
• ⛪ Saint Angela of the Cross Guerrero y González - Virgin and Foundress
• ⛪ Saint Chad of Mercia
• ⛪ Saint Katharine Drexel - Foundress
• ⛪ Saint Agnes of Bohemia - Princess, Philanthropist and Abbess
• ⛪ Blessed Giovanna Maria Bonomo - Nun, Mystic
• ⛪ Pope Saint Felix III
• ⛪ Saint Swidberth of Kaiserwerdt - Monk