BARBATO, saint. - Born at Cerreto at the beginning of the 7th cent., died on 19 Febr. 682. His life, written in the 9th cent., is legendary. He succeeded Ildebrando in the bishopric of Benevento in 663; at the same time he was bishop of Siponto and in 665 obtained Bovino, Larino, and Ascoli Satriano as suffragan sees. He took part in the Council of Rome of 680 and, apparently, in that of Constantinople of 681. He exercised a beneficial influence upon Duke Romualdo and worked successfully for the eradication of Longobard superstitions.
His body is venerated at Benevento, where it was placed beneath the high altar of the cathedral by
Cardinal Vincenzo M. Orsini on 10 Nov. 1687. Feast: 19 Febr.
BIBL.: Acta SS. Februarii, III, Anversa 1648, pp. 139-42; A. M. Jannacchino, S. B. e il suo secolo, Benevento 1902; G. Cangiano, Origini della Chiesa beneventiana, Benevento 1923, pp. 7, 40-51; id., Sulla leggenda della vipera longobarda e delle streghe. - Documents: the legend of St B., in Atti della Soc. Stor. del Sannio, 1929, p. 84 sgg.; Martyr. Romanum, p. 69.
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