ANSELMO, bishop of LUCCA, saint. — Nephew of the famous Anselmo di Baggio, later Pope Alessandro II. Born in 1036, he died at Mantua on 10 March 1086. He was a canon of the cathedral of Milan and actively collaborated with his uncle in the reform of the Milanese Church, supporting the action of the Patarine party. From his uncle, who had been elevated to the pontificate, he received (8 October 1073) the bishopric of Lucca. Having gone to Germany, he received from Henry IV the investiture «per anulum et baculum», contrary to the principles that Alessandro II had ardently defended against Henry IV himself. For this reason, on returning to Rome, he was openly censured by the new pontiff Gregory VII, who nevertheless consecrated him bishop on 2 October 1074. As legate in Germany for the investiture controversy, he took part (1080) in the Council of Rome that condemned the antipope Guibert. He then attempted to introduce the principles of the reform into his diocese, but in vain; indeed, Henry IV’s supporters drove him out of Lucca. He found refuge with Countess Matilda, who made him her confessor and counsellor. Appointed apostolic vicar in Lombardy, he carried out an exceptionally important political activity.
He was canonized by Victor III only one year after his death; feast on 18 March.
Among his writings we may mention two books, Contra Guibertum antipapam pro Gregorio VII (PL 149, 416-475); Collectanea ex variis auctoribus Ecclesiae facultates non esse in potestate regis aut caesaris (Bibliotheca patrum, 18, Lyon); four treatises of meditation on prayers, perhaps apocryphal; letters. But the work to which his fame is chiefly owed is the one entitled Collectionis canonum libri XIII, which has not yet been published in its entirety, despite attempts already made over several centuries. The most recent initiative is that of the Berlin Academy, undertaken by M. F. Thaner (Innsbruck 1906 ff.).
Certainly composed in the second half of the 11th century, this celebrated collection contains documents from later periods as well, which can readily be explained as additions made by another hand. This does not, however, establish critically that A. was merely its owner and not its true author. It is divided into 13 books and contains approximately 1,200 canons drawn from Roman law, the acts of the Popes, the councils, etc., relating not only to law but also to theology. It is important for the study of the sources of canon law, theology, apologetics, and the history of the Gregorian reform.