JOHN OF MATERA, Saint. - Born at Matera in 1070 and died on 20 June 1139. After some years of eremitical life, he founded a monastery near Ginosa around 1100. He was in contact with St. William of Monte Vergine. Around 1130 he founded the Congregation of the monks of S. Maria di Pulsano (called Pulsanesi), on Monte Gargano, adopting the Benedictine Rule according to a strict interpretation.

This Congregation developed rapidly and numbered more than twenty monasteries scattered also in Sicily, Tuscany, and Liguria. At Pisa the monks were called the Scalzi. The successors of G. di M. were the blessed Giordano (d. in 1145) and the blessed Gioele (d. in 1177). Toward the end of the 14th century, on the death of the last abbot Antonio, the abbey of Pulsano passed into other hands and the Congregation died out. The feast of St. G. di M. is celebrated on 25 June.

Bibliography4 works

BIBL.: The Vita in Acta SS. Iunii, V, Paris 1867, pp. 33-50; M. Morelli, Vita di s. G. da M., abate fondatore della Congregazione benedettina di Pulsano, Putignano di Bari 1930; A. F. Pecci, Vita s. Iohannis a Matheia abbatis, ibid. 1938; L. Mattei-Cerasoli, La Congregazione benedettina degli eremiti Pulsanesi, Cava-Badia 1938.

Stanislao Majarelli

@incollection{ec6_giovanni_di_matera_santo, author = {Majarelli, Stanislao}, title = {Giovanni di Matera, santo}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VI}, pages = {569--570}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1951}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/giovanni-di-matera-santo} }

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John of Matera, Saint

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