Maiolo, Saint (MAIOLO, SANTO) - Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. VII, p. 1110

Machine translation of the 1948–1954 Italian original. The original text is authoritative.

MAIOLO, saint. - Abbot of Cluny, born at Valensolle or at Avignone about 906, died at Souvigny on 11 May 994. He governed the abbey for 40 years, from 954 to 994. Likewise an indefatigable traveller, like the founder of the same abbey, St Oddone, he extended Cluniac influence still further, at the invitation of princes and bishops, in the Kingdoms of France and Burgundy, in the Duchy of Normandy, in Italy, and in the territories of the Empire.

Ugo Capeto and Roberto il Pio took an interest in the reform of the monasteries of Marmoutier, St-Maur-des-Fossés, and Corméry; Riccardo di Normandia invited him in 990 to reform Fécamp. M. introduced the customs of Cluny at Ra-

venna, at Pavia, where the monastery was subsequently dedicated to him, and renewed monastic life in the Roman convents. Ottone il Grande and Ottone II were less receptive to his influence; indeed, the latter was the object of certain ominous predictions by the holy abbot. During his lifetime the internal organization of the Order became ever more clearly defined.

BIBL.: Vita, written by the monk Siro, in PL 137, cols. 746-78 (cf. also cols. 710-44), and by his successor St Odilone, PL 142, cols. 943-53; A. Bruel, Recueil des chartes de l'abbaye de Cluny, I, Parigi 1876; L. J. Ogerdias, Histoire de St Mayeul, Moulins 1877; E. Sackar, Die Cluniacenser in ihrer kirchlichen und allgemeingeschichtl. Wirksamkeit bis zur Mitte des 11. Jahrhunderts, 2 vols., Halle 1892-94; L. Smith, The early history of the monastery of Cluny, Oxford 1920; G. de Valous, Le monachisme clumisien des origines au XVᵉ siècle, Parigi 1935.

Guglielmo Mollat