FRUCTUOSUS OF BRAGA, ST.

Monastic founder and archbishop of Braga, Portugal; d. San Salvador de Montelios, Spain, April 16, 665. Fructuosus, of a noble family, studied under Bishop Conantius of Palencia, then retired into a solitude near Astorga, Spain, where he founded the monastery of Complutum whence six further foundations were begun in Galicia and Baetica. He likewise organized double monasteries. He was consecrated bishop and abbot of Dumium, and was named archbishop of Braga by the Tenth Council of Toledo (656). He devoted himself in particular to the spread of monasticism, writing a Regula monachorum and a Regula communis that were observed in the monasteries of Galicia and Portugal until the 11th century. His Pactum, or act of religious profession, shows the strong influence of Germanic law. A letter to braulio of Saragossa and another to King Receswinth have been preserved. His life was written by the monk Valerius; in 1102 his relics were transported to Compostela, where they continue to repose in the church of S. Jerónimo de Real.

Feast: April 16.

Bibliography: Opera omnia, Patrologia Latina, ed. j. p. migne, 217 v. (Paris 1878–90) 87:1087–1131; Epistola ad Braulionen, Patrologia Latina, ed. j. p. migne, 217 v. (Paris 1878–90) 80:690–692. m. c. dÍazy dÍaz, La vida de San Fructuoso de Braga (Braga 1974). San Fructuoso y su tiempo, ed. f. a. diez gonzÁlez et al. (León 1966). i. herwegen, Das Pactum des hl. Fruktuosus von Braga (Amsterdam 1965). valerius, Vita, tr. f. c. nock (Washington 1946). j. pÉrez de urbel, Los monjes españoles en la edad media, 2 v. (Madrid 1933–34). g. bardy, Catholicisme 4:1655–56.

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