Bertarius of Montecassino, Saint

BERTARIUS OF MONTECASSINO, Saint. - He is one of the most remarkable figures in Italy in the Carolingian era. Of probably Lombard stock - Berthari is the original form of the name - he was educated at Montecassino in the school of Bassacius, whom he succeeded in the abbatial see in 856 (according to Traube, as early as 848). In his governance he aimed to oppose the threatening advance of the Saracens, and to give a solid organization to the important patrimony of St. Benedict, according to the character of the times and political necessities. In the first aim he soon gave valid aid to the efforts of Louis II, who several times splendidly received him at Montecassino together with the Empress Engelberga, just as he also received there in conference Pope Adrian II and King Lothair. He proposed a federation among the various political nuclei of southern Italy. Because of a divergence of political assessments, probably with regard to the Neapolitan duchy and some act of Adrian II, B. sometimes found himself in conflict with John VIII. From him, however, he obtained a broad diploma of exemption which constituted almost the crowning of his other aim: the vast work of reorganization, of which the imposing fortifications and the extensive land reclamations were the expressions, culminating in the founding, at the foot of the mountain, of the new city, Eulogimenopolis, present-day Cassino. But adverse forces ended up prevailing and overwhelming B. together with his work. After destroying the upper monastery on 4 September 883, the Saracens fell upon that of St. Salvatore at the foot of the mountain, where they slaughtered B. together with many monks (22 October 883).

B. "was a complete man." Indeed, joined to his political and organizational work was a notable artistic and cultural activity. Buildings, paintings, transcriptions of codices with bindings adorned with gold and precious stones, are attributed to him by the historical sources. And, while he did not hesitate to descend personally into the field against the enemies of the Christian name, he occupied himself with medicine, grammar, and verse, leaving works that have in part come down to us.

Tommaso Leccisotti