Exuperantius of Cingoli

Saint Exuperantius of Cingoli lived in the fifth century; his birthplace is uncertain, though some traditions suggest he may have come from Africa before making his home in Italy. He became bishop of Cingoli in the Marche region, serving the Church around the year 496. While few details of his life have come down to us with certainty, his memory has been cherished for centuries because of the holiness attributed to his pastoral care and the many miracles linked to his intercession. Both during his lifetime and after his death, the faithful turned to him in times of need, and tradition especially remembers his prayers as bringing relief during an outbreak of plague. His enduring place in the heart of Cingoli is clear: the town later called him its “head and guide,” and it took special responsibility for the church dedicated in his honor, today the Collegiate Church of Sant’Esuperanzio. Venerated in both the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, he is honored as patron of Cingoli. His feast day is January 24.