medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture Today (18. March) is also the feast day of: Anselm of Lucca (d. 1086). Sometimes called Anselm the Younger to distinguish him from his uncle of the same name who became pope Alexander II (both were bishops of Lucca), A. was a supporter of Gregory VII in the investiture controversy. Designated for his office by his uncle, A. accepted appointment from Gregory in 1073 but contrary to G.'s wishes also accepted investiture from Henry IV. Shortly thereafter he resigned to become a Cluniac monk at the abbey of St. Benedict at Polirone near Mantua; ordered back to Lucca by Gregory, he continued to live as a monk and attempted to impose a similar lifestyle on his canons, who would have none of it. These sided with Henry and in 1081 got A. expelled from Lucca. A. sought refuge with his political ally, Matilda of Tuscany, and spent the rest of his life in papal service. Unsuccessful with human canons, he turned his attention to written ones and produced an important, pro-reform collection of the latter. Also surviving from his pen are five prayers he wrote for Matilda. A. died at Mantua and was promptly recognized as its patron saint; though he had arranged to be buried at the abbey at Polirone, on Matilda's command his remains were instead conveyed to Mantua's cathedral, where they are today: http://www.a-mantova.com/chiese/SAnselmo.html A. was canonized in 1087. He has a pre-canonization prose Vita (1086 or 1087) by a priest whose initial was B. (this used to be ascribed to a canon Bardo) and an impressive verse one (later 1090s) by one of his successors at Lucca, the poet-bishop Rangerius (d. 1112). Lucca's cathedral of St. Martin was begun by uncle Anselm I in 1063. Much of the present structure http://tinyurl.com/pheu2 http://www.globopix.net/img.asp?i=8323 dates from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, but the apse at least seems to be of the later eleventh century: http://www.la-casetta.it/vallegaia/max/lucca.jpg An interior view is here: http://www.toscanaviva.com/Lucca/lucca_cathedral.htm Some further views of the later medieval exterior and views of its reliefs: http://tinyurl.com/mklj6 http://www.globopix.net/img.asp?i=8325 http://tinyurl.com/qnjtn http://tinyurl.com/p5hsd The Gonzaga lordship at Mantua saw extensive Renaissance rebuilding of St. Benedict of Polirone, located in today's former abbey town of San Benedetto Po (MN). Its Oratory of Saint Mary has a partially preserved and recently restored mid-twelfth-century (1151) mosaic floor shown here: http://tinyurl.com/p7pm9 Detail thereof: http://xoomer.virgilio.it/fgazzoli/sbenedettopo/chiostross.htm Two views of the abbey's "gothic" cloister of Saint Simeon: http://xoomer.virgilio.it/fgazzoli/sbenedettopo/chiostross.htm http://arte.mantovabox.it/file/1291.jpg A little of the late fourteenth- and early fifteenth-century exterior of Mantua's cathedral of St. Peter is still visible between more recent construction: http://www.a-mantova.com/chiese/FSpietro.htm http://www.bananiele.it/lombardia/mantova02.htm Best, John Dillon ********************************************************************** To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME to: [log in to unmask] To send a message to the list, address it to: [log in to unmask] To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion to: [log in to unmask] In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to: [log in to unmask] For further information, visit our web site: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html