The personality of Gregory of Cerchiara as the ambassador of the Italian- Byzantine culture in the X century Europe (original) (raw)

Even if his historical existence is commonly recognized, limited information is available about the figure of the southern saint, ignored both by the Basilian hagiography and the Calabrian one, but still celebrated by the German community of Burtsheid. The reason of the silence was probably due to continuous movements forced by surrounding circumstances, just like the Saracen depredations. In fact, after Gregory's moving to Germany, his memory in his native region gradually disappeared. He was a model because of his love for pray, for hardworking and obedience, for his soul nobility and for his actions performed in the name of charity. The only information about his life is written into two anonymous Latin Vitae. The first one, the Vita Gregorii Abbatis Prior (BHL 3671) of the XII century is incomplete, ending his narration with the episode of the boarding of the saint in Otranto city. While the second one, the Vita Gregorii Abbatis Posterior (BHL 3672) composed in the XV century, contains more details. This last version considers Gregory as the brother of the Byzantine Empress Theophano and contains the account of the arrival to Rome, the foundation of Aachen monastery, the death and the post-mortem miracles. From the analysis of these sources we can draw a profile of saint Gregory set in the historical context of the X century. In particular, even if the two lives are hagiographical accounts, providing for the main part a description of the saint's deeds and/or miracles, they give important elements in the interpretation of Italian-Greek monachism guidelines. Gregory spent his adolescence in improving his knowledge of grammar, arts and sacral writings, but he decided soon to abandon his family and follow his devotion. He moved to Cassano, greeted by the episcopus David, who gave him the permission to start the path to the priestly ordination, gained in 951. From the Vita Gregorii we know the name of David, bishop of Cassano, attested nowhere else. The Cassanensis diocese, was already an episcopal see in the X century, but we can find the first mention of an episcopus in a diploma dated 1096: we read of a bishop of Cassano known as Saxo (Sassone), who was a Vicar of Pope Urban II and Pope Paschal II in the Region. So, by the presence of David we can not only expand the list of bishops, but moreover anticipate it of a century.