Saint of the Day – 7 December – Saint Urbanus of Teano (Died circa late 4th Century) Confessor, Bishop

Saint of the Day – 7 December – Saint Urbanus of Teano (Died circa late 4th Century) Confessor, the Third Bishop of Teano, Peacemaker, Apostle of the poor and needy, Miracle-worker. Born and died in Teano, Italy. Patronage – Teano, Italy. Also known as – Urban, Urbano, Urbanius.

The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Teano in Campania, Saint Urbanus, Bishop.”

In the Diocese of Teano, the first Three Bishops are Saints: Paris, Amasius and Urbanus. The records after these, became incomplete until the second half of the 9th Century.

He is called a great Confessor, Native of the place, he was a disciple and Deacon of the First Bishop of Teano, San Paris (Died c346). Upon his death, the people wanted Urbanus as their Bishop by popular acclaim. But he managed to avoid the election in favour of Amasius (Died c356). When the latter also died, he had to accept the nomination as Bishop.

He exercised his pastoral function with great sanctity.
It is said that he performed many miracles which attracted numerous crowds to him. He spent all his energy to visit the faithful of his Diocese, to create Churches and revive Christian worship. He acted as peacemaker during discords, he was assiduous in assisting the poor and needy.

The chronology of his predecessors who died respectively in 346 and 356, allows us to place his Episcopate in the second half of the 4th Century.

The lessons of the Office of the Diocese, published in 1533, deal with him, where he is described as a holy Bishop with great piety and devotion and all the essential elements of a holy Bishop.

There is a little information handed down to us in the 6th Century “Vitae” of his predecessors. Only the Author, Lanzoni thinks that the cult of the first three Bishops of that Church in Teano, derives from an authentic Episcopal catalogue.

Urbanus died very old on 7 December, as he had previously predicted.
He was buried in a tomb which he, himself, had built between the southern gate of the City and the Savone river, probably in the ancient Cemetery, where today the Diocesan Church dedicated to San Paris is located.

The name of St Urbanus was added to the Roman Martyrology with a Feast Day of 7 December.