Guarinus of Palestrina, St.

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GUARINUS OF PALESTRINA, ST.

Cardinal bishop of Palestrina; b. Bologna, Italy, c. 1080; d. Palestrina, Italy, Feb. 6, 1159. Guarinus was already a cleric when he joined the augustinians at Mortara (c. 1104). When the bishop of Pavia died (c. 1139), Guarinus was elected to the see by popular acclamation. Imprisoned for his steadfast refusal to accept that honor, he managed to escape his confinement only to be required (1144) by order of Pope lucius ii, a Bolognese, to become cardinal and bishop of Palestrina, one of the suburbicarian dioceses of Rome. Guarinus's exemplary youth, studious and mortified monastic life, love of the poor, and extraordinary virtue as a bishop prompted Pope alexander iii, another Bolognese, to effect his canonization immediately after his death. The hospital of St. Job at Bologna reveres him as its founder, and the Canons Regular of the lateran honor him as a patron. His life was written by his contemporary, Augustine of Pavia.

Feast: Feb. 6.

Bibliography: Acta Sanctorum, Feb. 1 (1863) 923925. a. butler, The Lives of the Saints (New York 1956) 1:264265.

[n. m. riehle]