St. Anselm

Abbot, Duke of Forum Julii, the modern Friuli, in the northeastern part of Italy. Wishing to serve God in a monastery, he left the world, and in 750 built a monastery at Fanano, a place given to him by Aistuiph, King of the Lombards, who had married Anselms sister Gisaltruda. Two years later he built the monastery of Nonantula, a short distance northeast of Modena he then went to Rome where Stephen III invested him with the habit of St. Benedict and appointed him Abbot of Nonantula. Being very charitable, able, Anselm founded many hospices where the poor and the feeble were sheltered and cared for by monks. Desiderius, who had succeeded Aistulph as King of the Lombards (756-774) banished Anselm from Nonantula. The seven years of his exile the latter spent at Monte Cassino, but returned to Nonantula after the capture of Desiderius by Charlemagne. Having been abbot for fifty years, Anselm died at Nonantula in 803, and the town of that name still honours him as patron.