Cresconius of Santiago de Compostela
Encyclopedia
Cresconius (c. 1036 – 1066) was a bishop
of Iria Flavia
and Santiago de Compostela
during the eleventh century. He succeeded Vistruarius (Vistruario).
He was a supporter of Ferdinand I of Castile and educated this king's son. Ferdinand's son, García II of Galicia and Portugal
, was later crowned by Cresconius himself as king of Galicia.
Like his contemporary Odo of Bayeux, Cresconius was a "warrior bishop." During a Viking
invasion of Galicia, Cresconius gathered an army and, assuming leadership of the Galician nobility, defeated the invader.
He fortified the site known as Castellum Honesti, today Torres del Oeste near Padrón
, with the goal of blocking future invasions via the Arosa
. He built the city walls of Santiago de Compostela and enlarged his diocese
.
excommunicated him at the Council of Rheims
(1049). Nevertheless, Cresconius continued using this title, and the bishops of Lugo
, Dumio
, Oviedo
, and Oporto acknowledged his authority and primacy.
In 1060, he presided over the Council of Compostela where he prohibited the use of weapons by clerics, and also forbade that clerics be married. He opened parochial schools and fought pagan superstitions that dated to even before the Roman
conquest of Galicia.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Iria Flavia
Iria Flavia
Iria Flavia or simply Iria in Galicia, northwestern Spain, was a Celtiberian port, the main seat of the Caporos, on the road between Braga and Astorga. The Romans rebuilt the road as via XVIII or Via Nova and refounded the Celtiberian port as Iria Flavia to complement Vespasian...
and Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
during the eleventh century. He succeeded Vistruarius (Vistruario).
He was a supporter of Ferdinand I of Castile and educated this king's son. Ferdinand's son, García II of Galicia and Portugal
García II of Galicia and Portugal
García II , King of Galicia and Portugal, was the youngest of the three sons and heirs of Ferdinand I, King of Castile and León, and Sancha of León, whose Leonese inheritance included the lands García would be given....
, was later crowned by Cresconius himself as king of Galicia.
Like his contemporary Odo of Bayeux, Cresconius was a "warrior bishop." During a Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
invasion of Galicia, Cresconius gathered an army and, assuming leadership of the Galician nobility, defeated the invader.
He fortified the site known as Castellum Honesti, today Torres del Oeste near Padrón
Padrón
Padrón is a concello in the Province of A Coruña, in Galicia within the comarca of O Sar. It covers an area of 48.4 km², is 95 km from A Coruña and, , had a population of 8968 according to the INE....
, with the goal of blocking future invasions via the Arosa
Arosa
Arosa is a town and a municipality in the district of Plessur in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. It is both a summer and a winter tourist resort.-History:...
. He built the city walls of Santiago de Compostela and enlarged his diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
.
Cresconius and the Primacy of Santiago
Cresconius believed that, because Santiago was the burial place of Saint James the Greater, that his see naturally occupied a superior place amongst the dioceses of the West as an "apostolic see." To this end, he proclaimed himself Episcopus Iriensis et Apostolicae Sedis. However, this assumption was not supported by Rome and Pope Leo IXPope Leo IX
Pope Saint Leo IX , born Bruno of Eguisheim-Dagsburg, was Pope from February 12, 1049 to his death. He was a German aristocrat and as well as being Pope was a powerful secular ruler of central Italy. He is regarded as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, with the feast day of April 19...
excommunicated him at the Council of Rheims
Council of Rheims
Reims, located in the north-east of modern France, hosted several councils or synods in the Roman Catholic Church. These councils did not universally represent the church and are not counted among the official Ecumenical Councils.-Early synodal Councils of Reims:...
(1049). Nevertheless, Cresconius continued using this title, and the bishops of Lugo
Lugo
Lugo is a city in northwestern Spain, in the autonomous community of Galicia. It is the capital of the province of Lugo. The municipality had a population of 97,635 in 2010, which makes is the fourth most populated city in Galicia.-Population:...
, Dumio
Dumio
The Monastery of Dumio , is a former paleo-Christian monastery in the civil parish of Dume, municipality of Braga, in northwestern portio of Portugal. Originally a Roman villa, it was the base of a basilica by Suebi tribes, and later Christian monastery headed by Martin of Braga in the 6th century...
, Oviedo
Oviedo
Oviedo is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city....
, and Oporto acknowledged his authority and primacy.
In 1060, he presided over the Council of Compostela where he prohibited the use of weapons by clerics, and also forbade that clerics be married. He opened parochial schools and fought pagan superstitions that dated to even before the Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
conquest of Galicia.