Machine translation of the 1948–1954 Italian original. The original text is authoritative.
AGOSTINO known as NOVELLO, Blessed. - Born at Tarano in Sabina, died 19 May 1309. He completed his studies in law at Bologna. Having attained great renown, he was appointed by King Manfredi prefect of his Curia. When that king was defeated by Carlo I d'Angiò, A. took refuge in Sicily, where he became an Augustinian. Concealing his learning, he wished to be counted among the lay brothers. Learning that hermitages of the Order flourished in Tuscany, he asked to be transferred there, where he led a humble and secluded life. On account of a brief writing in defence of the convent of Rosia (Siena), he was recognized by the jurist Giacomo Pagliaresi, who recommended him to his superiors. Brought to Rome by Blessed Clemente da S. Elpidio, prior general, and raised to the priesthood, he became his adviser in revising the constitutions of the Order. Niccolò IV chose him as his confessor and appointed him
AGOSTINO NOVELLO, Blessed - Detail of the polyptych by Simone Martini (first half of the 14th century) - Siena, Church of S. Agostino. (phot. A. A. A. A.)papal penitentiary. At the General Chapter of Milan in 1298 he was elected prior general and confirmed by Bonifacio VIII. He did not, however, complete his three-year term of office; having convened a new Chapter at Naples (1300), he resigned the generalate, refusing to be re-elected. He then withdrew to the hermitage of S. Leonardo near Siena, where he lived in great penitence and charity toward the sick, drawing up the constitutions for the friars of the hospital of S. Maria della Scala. He was renowned for many miracles, and his public cult was confirmed by Clemente XIII on 11 July 1759. His relics are preserved in the church of S. Agostino in Siena.
BIBL.: Henricus de Alemannia, De origine et progressus ordinis fr. heremit. 1. Augustini, in Analecta Augusti, IV, Rome 1911-1912, p. 326; Jordanus de Saxonia, Liber qui dicitur Vitus fratrum, Rome 1587, pp. 69, 75, 81 ff.; T. de Herrera, Alphabetum Augusti, I, Madrid 1644, p. 6; Acta SS. Maii, IV, Venice 1740, pp. 614-26; L. Banchi, Statuti Senesi scritti in volgare nei secoli XIII e XIV, III; Statuto dello Spedale di Siena, Bologna 1877, p. 169; Analecta Augusti, VI, Rome 1915-16, pp. 120-33; A. Corrao, Sopra la Patria del B. Agost. Novello, 3rd ed., Palermo 1922.
Vittorio Cambiaso
Cite this article
“AGOSTINO DETTO NOVELLO, BEATO.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. I (1948), p. 327. Azione Romana digital edition, https://azioneromana.com/article/agostino-detto-novello-beato.
