RUGGERO, saint. — Bishop of Canne and patron of Barletta, born at Pietra, a hamlet of the same city.
Some scholars maintained that he flourished in the 5th century, but without any proof; the documents subsequently brought to light in the Archive of that bishopric, now at Barletta, in the Vatican Archive, and elsewhere, demonstrate instead that the series of bishops of Canne begins in 1030, and that the only bishop R. included in that series is the one born around 1060 and flourishing between 1100 and 1128. In 1102 R. took part, together with Pope Pasquale II, in the consecration of the cathedral of S. Sabino at Canosa; he witnessed the destruction of his city, carried out by Roberto il Guiscardo in 1083. The citizens of Canne, compelled by wars, emigrated to Barletta in 1276 and transferred R.'s body there to the monastery of S. Stefano, where it is still preserved in a silver urn, which is carried in procession on 30 Dec., the day of his death. The S. Congreg. of Rites, on 27 Nov. 1942, approved the new Office of the Saint.