Obitius
Encyclopedia
Saint Obitius (February 4, c. 1150 - December 6, c. 1204) was an Italian
saint
. He was born in Niardo
, in the Brescia
, around 1150 (tradition holds that the day was February 4). His father, Gratiadeus (Graziodeo), was a knight
and governor of Valcamonica. Obitius was devoted to Saint Margaret
as a youth, and displayed an image of this virgin martyr and his armorial device.
His family had connections with the local religious community. An uncle had founded two monasteries and another relative had befriended Saint Constantius (San Costanzo), the other patron saint
of Niardo. Obitius nevertheless became a knight and married the countess Inglissenda Porro, with whom he had four children: Jacopo, Berta, Margherita, and Maffeo. Obitius had a successful military career as a knight, and participated in the wars between Cremona and Brescia.
. The Bergamese retreated across a wooden bridge, and they were pursued by Obitius and his fellow knights. The collective weight of the soldiers, the knights’ armor, and the knights' horses caused the bridge to collapse, and Obitius and all the combatants plunged into the water. According to his legend, while he was in the water, he had a terrifying vision of Hell
. Obitius managed to escape from drowning
and thereafter decided to dedicate himself to a spiritual life. Despite resistance to this idea from his family, Obitius’ determination eventually swayed them, and two of his children, Margherita and Maffeo, also became a nun and monk, respectively.
Obitius lived in completely poverty, penance
, and prayer and dedicated himself to working for a Benedictine
convent
. In 1197, he was eventually allowed to become an oblate
in the monastery of Santa Giulia in Brescia
. Obitius spent the rest of his life at the monastery, performing various acts of charity
. Miracles were attributed to him. He was buried with great honor at the monastery church of Santa Giulia in Brescia.
containing Obitius’ relics began to miraculously issue water. His relics were translated to the altar of Santa Giulia and in 1553, the same phenomenon was again reported. In the jubilee year of 1600, his cult was approved by the Vatican
.
In 1526-7, Romanino painted the story of Obitius’ life in a series of frescoes (Storie di sant'Obizio), in the basilica of San Salvatore at Brescia.
When the monastery of Santa Giulia was suppressed in 1797 during the era of the Cisalpine Republic
, Niardo demanded the relics of Obitius from Brescia and are today contained in the main altar of the parish church of Niardo.
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
. He was born in Niardo
Niardo
Niardo is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy.The comune is bounded by the comuni of Braone, Breno, Losine, Prestine....
, in the Brescia
Province of Brescia
The Province of Brescia is a Province in Lombardy, Italy. It borders with the province of Sondrio in the N and NW, the province of Bergamo in the W, province of Cremona in the SW and S, the province of Mantova to the S, and to the east, the province of Verona and Trentino .Source for statistical...
, around 1150 (tradition holds that the day was February 4). His father, Gratiadeus (Graziodeo), was a knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
and governor of Valcamonica. Obitius was devoted to Saint Margaret
Margaret the Virgin
Margaret the Virgin, also known as Margaret of Antioch , virgin and martyr, is celebrated as a saint by the Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches on July 20; and on July 17 in the Orthodox Church. Her historical existence has been questioned; she was declared apocryphal by Pope Gelasius I in 494,...
as a youth, and displayed an image of this virgin martyr and his armorial device.
His family had connections with the local religious community. An uncle had founded two monasteries and another relative had befriended Saint Constantius (San Costanzo), the other patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of Niardo. Obitius nevertheless became a knight and married the countess Inglissenda Porro, with whom he had four children: Jacopo, Berta, Margherita, and Maffeo. Obitius had a successful military career as a knight, and participated in the wars between Cremona and Brescia.
Conversion
An event led Obitius to abandon his military career. On July 7, 1191, at the Battle of the Malamorte, on the Oglio River, in Brescian territory, Obitius was leading an army against the BergamaschiBergamo
Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...
. The Bergamese retreated across a wooden bridge, and they were pursued by Obitius and his fellow knights. The collective weight of the soldiers, the knights’ armor, and the knights' horses caused the bridge to collapse, and Obitius and all the combatants plunged into the water. According to his legend, while he was in the water, he had a terrifying vision of Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
. Obitius managed to escape from drowning
Drowning
Drowning is death from asphyxia due to suffocation caused by water entering the lungs and preventing the absorption of oxygen leading to cerebral hypoxia....
and thereafter decided to dedicate himself to a spiritual life. Despite resistance to this idea from his family, Obitius’ determination eventually swayed them, and two of his children, Margherita and Maffeo, also became a nun and monk, respectively.
Obitius lived in completely poverty, penance
Penance
Penance is repentance of sins as well as the proper name of the Roman Catholic, Orthodox Christian, and Anglican Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation/Confession. It also plays a part in non-sacramental confession among Lutherans and other Protestants...
, and prayer and dedicated himself to working for a Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
. In 1197, he was eventually allowed to become an oblate
Oblate (religion)
An oblate in Christian monasticism is a person who is specifically dedicated to God or to God's service. Currently, oblate has two meanings:...
in the monastery of Santa Giulia in Brescia
Brescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
. Obitius spent the rest of his life at the monastery, performing various acts of charity
Charity (practice)
The practice of charity means the voluntary giving of help to those in need who are not related to the giver.- Etymology :The word "charity" entered the English language through the Old French word "charité" which was derived from the Latin "caritas".Originally in Latin the word caritas meant...
. Miracles were attributed to him. He was buried with great honor at the monastery church of Santa Giulia in Brescia.
Veneration
In 1498, it was reported that the urnUrn
An urn is a vase, ordinarily covered, that usually has a narrowed neck above a footed pedestal. "Knife urns" placed on pedestals flanking a dining-room sideboard were an English innovation for high-style dining rooms of the late 1760s...
containing Obitius’ relics began to miraculously issue water. His relics were translated to the altar of Santa Giulia and in 1553, the same phenomenon was again reported. In the jubilee year of 1600, his cult was approved by the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
.
In 1526-7, Romanino painted the story of Obitius’ life in a series of frescoes (Storie di sant'Obizio), in the basilica of San Salvatore at Brescia.
When the monastery of Santa Giulia was suppressed in 1797 during the era of the Cisalpine Republic
Cisalpine Republic
The Cisalpine Republic was a French client republic in Northern Italy that lasted from 1797 to 1802.-Birth:After the Battle of Lodi in May 1796, Napoleon Bonaparte proceeded to organize two states: one to the south of the Po River, the Cispadane Republic, and one to the north, the Transpadane...
, Niardo demanded the relics of Obitius from Brescia and are today contained in the main altar of the parish church of Niardo.