It is celebrated on March 18
Saint Anselm of Mantua is a popular saint in Italy, especially among Catholics. He is considered the patron saint of students and teachers, and is also invoked for help in times of difficulty.
Biography and life of Saint Anselm of Mantua
Saint Anselm of Mantua was born in Germany in 1033. His parents were nobles and he received an excellent education. At sixteen, he entered the monastery of Saint Victor, in Marseilles, France, where he studied theology under Abbot Guillaume de Champeaux. After ten years, he moved to Italy and joined the Benedictine monastery of Saint Benedict of Nursia.
There he studied under the famous theological master Saint Anselm of Aosta. He was then ordained a priest and returned to France as prior of the Benedictine monastery of Saint-Victor. In 1079, he was elected abbot of the same monastery.
In 1086, Anselm was called to Rome by Pope Gregory VII to fill the vacant position of Archbishop of Milan. He accepted the position and served faithfully for five years before resigning and returning to his beloved monastery in Marseille. His legacy is fundamental to the history of thought in the Church.
In 1096, Anselm was elected Archbishop of Canterbury, England, but declined to accept the position due to his advanced age and failing health. However, he eventually agreed after repeated requests. As archbishop, he fought against simony (the illegal sale of church offices) and investiture (the secular right to appoint clergy). These struggles cost him many powerful friends and eventually forced him into exile in France in 1103. He died there a few months later in 1109.
Prayer to Saint Anselm of Mantua
Saint Anthony of padua,
that you rejoiced with your word
to the children who listened to you,
and with your example to the elders;
second sentence
O holy Anselm of Mantua,
that in life you were a man of God,
and now you're a saint in heaven,
we ask you to intercede for us.
We want to be like you, a man or a woman of God,
and we want our life to be like yours,
a life full of God's love.
O Saint Anselm, pray for us,
so that we can follow your example and be faithful to God all the days of our lives. Amen.
important things you did
-He was one of the first bishops of Mantua.
-He helped found the monastery of Saint Victor of Mantua, a key center for religious life in his time.
-He wrote numerous books and religious treatises, which are important for understanding his life and legacy.
-He was one of the main promoters of the ecclesiastical movement known as "Clunian", influencing the reform of the Church.
-He actively participated in the reform of the Church in the 11th century, his commitment to righteousness is worthy of recognition.