JOHN OF SALERNO (G. of Cluny). - Born in Rome, he led a dissolute life, as he himself states, when in 939 he met St. Odo of Cluny. This saint, invited to Pavia by Hugh to reform the monastery of S. Pietro in Ciel d'Oro, took Giovanni with him, gave him the monastic habit and shortly afterwards entrusted him to the care of the prior Ildebrando. On his return to Rome he was still accompanied by the new disciple, who later followed him also to Cluny.

For his virtues and his ability G. was not long afterwards appointed prior of S. Paolo fuori le mura in Rome. Here he is found again on Odo's return in the winter of 940, and likewise in 942. It is also known that during this period he briefly left Rome for a journey to Naples, where he settled some business concerning S. Paolo. He was afterwards abbot of a monastery in Salerno, where he wrote the Vita Odonis, for which, besides his personal knowledge, he also made use of the testimonies of other disciples of the saint. The year of his death is not known.

Bibliography4 works

BIBL.: Johannes, Vita Odonis, PL 133, 45-86; Bibliotheca Cluniacensis, Brussels-Paris 1915, cols. 13-56; E. Sackur, Zur vita Odonis abbatis Cluniacensis auctore Johanne, in Neues Archiv, 15 (1890), pp. 103-12; G. Antonelli, L'opera di Odone di Cluny in Italia, in Benedictina, 4 (1950), nos. 1-2, pp. 19-40.

Ambrogio Biancone

@incollection{ec6_giovanni_di_salerno_g_di_cluny, author = {Mancone, Ambrogio}, title = {Giovanni di Salerno (G. di Cluny)}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VI}, pages = {603--604}, 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-salerno-g-di-cluny} }

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John of Salerno (G. of Cluny)

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