LEO of CAVA, St. – Second Benedictine abbot of Ca’ (Salerno), born at Lucca, died at Vietri on 12 July 1079. As a youth he entered the monastery of Cava and, under the guidance of St Alferius, founder of the abbey of Cava, he made rapid progress in piety, humility and patience. He succeeded him in 1050. For 29 years (1050–1079) he governed his subjects with holiness and prudence. He obtained justice for the people from the cruel prince Gisulf II of Salerno and secured for his abbey the donation of many lands in the Cilento region.
In 1597 Clement VIII granted an indulgence to visitors of the church of the Most Holy Trinity at Cava on the feast of St Leo the Abbot, and Leo XIII confirmed his cult in 1893. Feast: 12 July.
BIBL.: Acta SS. Iulii, III, Venezia 1747, pp. 458-62; L. P. Guillaume, S. L. di Lucca e Gisulfo II, Ca’va dei Tirreni 1876; Id., Vita s. abbatum Cavensium, Ca’va 1912, pp. 33-41; A. Zimmermann, Kalendarium Benedictinum, II, Mettens 1934, pp. 441-44; Id., La Badia della S.ma Trinità di Ca’va, Cenni storici, Badia di Ca’va 1942, pp. 11-15.