RATERIO DI VERONA

RATERIO of VERONA. - Bishop and theologian, born near Liège c. 890, died at Namur on 25 April 974.

I. Life

He was educated in the school of Hildewin, abbot of Lobbes, with whom he came to Italy in 926; in August 932 he was elected bishop of Verona. His government of this diocese cost him countless sacrifices and sorrows. Having fallen into disfavour with Hugh of Provence, he was imprisoned by him in the tower of Walbert at Pavia, where he remained until August 937.

Once released from prison, he left Italy and, after many wanderings and painful vicissitudes, found refuge, at the end of 944 or the beginning of 945, with his monks at Lobbes. Soon, however, impatient of quiet and even more desirous of stemming the evils he had noted in his diocese, he returned to Verona in 946. He stayed there only two years, for, beset by new violent enemies, he had to leave again in 948. After further wanderings, on 21 September 953 he was elected bishop of Liège. But having here also begun to inveigh “acidly” against the corruption, at the beginning of 955 he was expelled from the see. He was then appointed abbot of a monastery (perhaps that of Aulne), dependent on Lobbes. In 961 he was brought back by Otto to Verona, where he remained until 968. In July or August of that year, hard pressed by too many enemies and now an old man, he resigned his dignity and, retiring to Namur, died there a few years later.

R. belongs to the number of great reformers; but his principal error perhaps consisted in seeking the immediate implementation of his reform programme: he wished to effect a radical and total transformation in too short a time and to change, almost by magic and perhaps with too resolute methods, an inveterate state of affairs.

II. Works

His numerous writings, edited by the Ballerini brothers (Verona 1775) and reprinted by Migne (PL 136), mirror his soul and his age; the principal ones are: *Praeloquiorum libri sex* (PL 136, 145-44); this is the major work, written during his imprisonment at Pavia (935-37), in which R. reviews all states of human life, showing their defects and indicating the remedies offered by the Gospel: it is notable for its history, moral theology and doctrine of the relations between Church and State; *Exceptum ex dialogo confessionali* (ibid. 393-444): a very interesting examination of conscience for the history of religious psychology; *Exhortatio et preces* (ibid. 444-50): fine prayers in preparation for Mass; *Decreta de clericis a Milone ordinatis* (ibid. 477-78): on 12 February 965 R. declared the ordinations of the intruding bishop Milo null and void, but, to avoid disturbance among the clergy, he revoked the declaration; *Libellus cleric Veronensis nomine inscriptus ad Romanam Ecclesiam* (ibid. 479-82): he submits the foregoing case to the Pope; *Itinerarium Ratheri Romanum euntis* (ibid. 579-600): a programme of reforms made known to the Veronese clergy before his departure for the Council to be held at Rome at the end of 966: a clear assertion of the primacy of the Pope (ibid. 582); *Epistolae* (ibid. 643-88, others in *Studi e documenti di storia e diritto*, 24 [1903], pp. 51-72; V. now the ed. by F. Weigle) important for history; *Sermones* (PL 136, 689-758), one of which describes the penitential discipline of the time (ibid. 714-19).