February 21 – St. Peter Damian
Born: 1007
Died: 1072
Nationality: Italian
Vocation: bishop
Attributes: cardinal holding a knotted rope, pilgrim holding a papal Bull, Benedictine habit
Patronage: insomnia, headaches; Faenza, and Fonte Avellana, Italy
Canonization: pre-congregation
Born in Ravenna, St. Peter Damian lost his parents as a young child. He lived with one brother who mistreated him, but obtained an education with the help of another of his brothers, who was a priest. That brother’s name was Damian, which Peter later took as his own surname.
Peter was an excellent student who practiced intense mortification and prayer and loved to serve the poor. He joined the Benedictines at the hermitage of Fonte Avellana, known for their rigorous rule of life, eating only bread and water, praying all 150 Psalms daily, and practicing physical mortification.
As a skilled preacher and theologian, Peter was sought out by monks of other monasteries to help them grow in holiness. In 1043, he became prior of Fonte Avellana and directed the establishment of five other hermitages.
During a time of corruption and immorality within the Church, he was active in calling on members of the Church hierarchy and religious orders to remain faithful to their commitments and strive for holiness.
Pope Stephen IX consecrated Peter as Bishop of Ostia in 1057. The new bishop also joined the College of Cardinals the same year and wrote a letter to its members urging them to holiness as models for the whole Church.
Following the death of Pope Stephen in 1058, Peter became more deeply involved in Church controversies involving the papacy. Nicholas II was rightfully elected but faced a rival claimant to the papacy. Peter was sent as the pope’s delegate to Milan to resolve canonical and moral issues and there confronted rioters who were rejecting papal authority.
After Nicholas’ death in 1061, another papal succession crisis ensued, and Peter helped resolve it by supporting the election of Alexander II. The new pope assigned Peter many duties requiring a great deal of traveling over the next six years. Peter obeyed faithfully, although he strongly desired to return to contemplative life.
In 1067, he resigned from his see and returned to Fonte Avellana. Only two years later, Pope Alexander requested his help in ensuring that the German king did not divorce his wife.
Peter then traveled to his birthplace of Ravenna in 1072 to settle local controversies. On his journey back to his monastery, he became ill en route and died at a Benedictine monastery.
Though never formally canonized, Peter Damian was considered a saint in many of the places where he lived throughout his life. He was named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XII in 1823.
St. Peter Damian, pray for us.