Saint Romuald (951-1027)
Image: Catholic Online
(CNA) Born in Italy Ravenna into a noble family, Romuald grew up in a luxurious, worldly environment of privilege, where he learned little in the way of self-restraint or spiritual devotion, yet Romuald felt an unusual attraction towards the simplicity of a monastic lifestyle, prompted by the beauty of nature and the experience of solitude.
It was not beauty or tranquility but a shocking tragedy that spurred Romuald to act on his desire for a monastic life–when he was just 20 yrs old, Romuald saw his father Sergius kill one of his relatives in a duel according to Franciscan Media over a dispute concerning some property. Disgusted by this action, Romuald went to the Monastery of St. Apollinaris to do 40 days of prayer and penance for his father.
These 40 days confirmed Romuald’s monastic calling as they became the foundation for the rest of his life but this wouldn’t be lived out at St. Apollinaris, where Romuald’s strict self-discipline brought him into conflict with some of the other Monks. Subsequently Romuald left the Monastery and went to Venice where he would become a Disciple of Hermit Narinus according to eCatholic2000 and would live a life of extraordinary austerity.
Both Romuald and Hermit Narinus went on to encourage the monastic vocation of a Venetian politician Peter Urseolus (he would later be Canonized St. Peter Urseolus Feast Day: 10 January) — When Peter joined a French Benedictine Monastery, Romuald would join him.
In the meantime Romuald’s father Sergius followed his son’s course, repenting of his sins and became a Monk himself — Romuald then decided to return to Italy to help his father after he learned that his father was struggling in his new vocation. Though Romuald’s assistance, Sergius found the strength to persist in a religious life.
After guiding his penitent father Sergius in the way of Salvation, Romuald traveled throughout Italy serving the Church — By 1012, Romuald helped to establish (or reformed) almost 100 Hermitages and Monasteries. When a piece of land called the ‘Camaldoli’ located in the Diocese of Arezzo was granted to Romuald, it would become the site of fiver Hermits quarters and a Monastery soon thereafter.
Romuald’s approach to the contemplative life is reminiscent of the early ‘Desert Fathers’ and may be seen in the short piece writing known as his ‘Brief Rule’ which reads as follows:
“Sit in your cell as in Paradise, put the whole world behind you and forget it. Watch your thoughts like a good fisherman watching for fish. The path you must follow is in the Psalms–never leave it.
If you have just come to the Monastery and in spite of your good-will you cannot accomplish what you want, take every opportunity you can to sing the Psalms in your heart and to understand them with your mind and if your mind wanders as you read do not give up, hurry back and apply your mind to the words once more.
Realize above all that you are in God’s presence and stand there with the attitude of one who stands before the Emperor. Empty yourself completely and sit waiting, content with the Grace of God, like the chick who tastes nothing and eats nothing but what his mother brings him.”
Romuald died on this date in his cell/room in 1027 and was Canonized in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII
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