Saint of the Day – 2 July – St Lidanus of Sezze (1026-1118) Abbot, Miracle-worker, Founder of the Monastery of Sezze dedicated to St Cecilia, Virgin Martyr and in memory of his own mother named for St Cecilia. Born in 1026 in Antena, today Civita d’Antino near Avezzano, Italy and died on 2 July 1118 (aged 91–92) at Murillo, today part of Sezze near Terracina in Italy. Patronage – of the City and Diocese of Sezze. Also known as – Lidanus of Antena, Lidan… Lidano…
in Civita d’Antino
Lidanus was the only son of Gentilis, from the noble House of Avellarum and of Cecilia. At the very young age of nine, he joined the Benedictine Order at Monte Cassino . In 1043 when Lidanus was 17 years old, his parents died and left him a large fortune part of which he donated to be used, to drain the Pontine Marshes in order to improve the living conditions of all in the area and, with the consent of Abbot Richerio I (1038-1055) of Montecassino, the remainder was used for the construction of a Monastery with an adjoining Church, at the foot of Mount Antoniano, in the heart of the Pontine Marshes, in the Diocese of Sezze.
The area still retains the name of St Lidanus, in fact, he lived for seventy-two years in this Monastery there, of which he had become the Abbot. Lidanus ran the Monastery and lived with his brothers in strict penance, praying, fasting and mortification. His miraculous powers were praised – for example, when the frogs in the swamp were making too much noise, he silenced them with his staff.
Lidanus died in 1118 and was buried in the Church of his Monastery, he remained there until the destruction of that Church which occurred during the struggle between Emperor Frederick II (1194-1250) and the Papacy. His Relics were translated to the Cathedral of Sezze, by will of the Bishop Drusino.
Other official documents remind us of the cult paid to him in the Pontine area – in 1312 the largest of the Cathedral Bells, was dedicated to St Lidanus and, in 1473, the City Magistrate, with a Notarial Deed, committed himself to offering, in honour of the Saint, a new silver Chalice every two years.
Pope Leo X (1475-1521) confirmed the cult and regulated the Feast established by the Statutes of the City of Sezze. In 1606, there was the recognition of the Relics, with the construction of a new Altar, completed in 1672, with a gilded wooden reliquary. Many miracles o occurr at this resting place.
St Charles of Sezze (image below), always carried with him, a Relic of our Saint and with it, blessed the sick. Pope Pius VI Canonised St Lidanus on 9 April 1791, granted the proper Office and the solemn Feast of 2. A 14th Century document, preserved in the Capitular Archive of Sezze, contains the oldest image of Lidanus with the narration of his life, he is depicted with Benedictine monastic habits, with the book of the Rule and the Abbot’s pastoral staff in his hands.
This St Charles of Sezze is a lifestory is very much worth revisiting here:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/01/06/saint-of-the-day-6-january-st-charles-of-sezze-o-f-m-1613-1670/
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