BARTOLOMEO DA ROMA

BARTOLOMEO da ROMA. - Regular canon, famous preacher, born in the second half of the 14th century in Rome, in the district of Campo de' Fiori, died in 1430 in the Benedictine monastery of S. Benedetto Po, near Mantua. Various historians mistakenly regarded him as a member of the princely Colonna family. He was the principal promoter of the reform begun among the Regular Canons in 1401 at S. Maria di Fregionia, near Lucca: this reform subsequently gave rise to the Congregation of Lateran Regular Canons. He himself joined the first reformers, who in 1403 elected him prior of the aforementioned canonry; he held the same office from Aug. 1407 to 1408. Perhaps thereafter he no longer held permanent offices, but continued to devote himself to preaching. He was venerated as a saint during his lifetime and after his death.