GAUDENTIUS, Saint, Bishop of Novara. - He is commemorated on January 22. There exists a biography composed in the 8th century, but sufficiently sincere and reliable, according to which G. was born in Ivrea in the first half of the 4th century to a noble family. He was educated from childhood in the Christian religion, to which he later sought to attract also his other relatives, still pagans.

Because of the hostilities he encountered, he left the city and went to Novara, where he joined a certain presbyter Lawrence who was preaching there, converting and baptizing many. When

GAUDENTIUS, St. - Fresco of the 13th century. Ivrea, crypt of the Cathedral.(from N. Cabellelli, Pitture romaniale, Turin 1855)

Lawrence was attacked and massacred by the pagans, G. went to Milan and from there to the East to visit the bishop Eusebius of Vercelli, driven into exile by Constantius II after the Council of Milan of 355. Having returned to Italy, he took care of the Church of Vercelli until the bishop's return, and remained there until, around 398, he was made first bishop of Novara by Simplician, bishop of Milan. In the government of the diocese G. labored much and with great zeal for the good of souls; he preached often, built several churches, converted many, among them the very murderers of the martyr Lawrence, and increased the number of the clergy. He died after 20 years of fruitful episcopate around 418, and was buried in a church that he himself had had built and that took its name from him.

Bibliography4 works

BIBL.: Acta SS. Januarii, III. Paris 1863, pp. 30-34; F. Sevio, Gli antichi vescovi d'Italia. Piemonte, Turin 1898, pp. 243, 48; Lanzoni, 1034 ff.; Martyr. Romanum, p. 31.

Agostino Amore

@incollection{ec5_gaudenzio_santo_vescovo_di_nov, author = {Amore, Agostino}, title = {Gaudenzio, santo, vescovo di novara}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {V}, pages = {1962--1963}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1950}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/gaudenzio-santo-vescovo-di-novara} }

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Gaudentius, Saint, Bishop of Novara

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