Himerius of Cremona

Saint Himerius of Cremona was born in Calabria in southern Italy, and died around June 17, about the year 560. Drawn early to silence and prayer, he first lived as a hermit, then embraced the monastic life, likely in one of the Umbrian monasteries near Spoleto or in the Valnerina Valley. His holiness was marked by striking austerity and a spirit of penance, and his reputation for wisdom and sanctity led to his election as bishop of Amelia. As a shepherd of souls, Himerius united the rigor of the monk with the charity of a bishop, remembered especially for his care for the poor. Though his name was not widely recorded in the earliest martyrologies, devotion to him endured, and he is honored in the Roman Martyrology and also among Western Rite Orthodox Christians. Centuries later his relics were translated from Amelia to Cremona, where they became a source of renewed veneration; after their rediscovery, many reported miracles at his tomb. He is invoked as a patron of Offlaga and Ripalta Vecchia. His feast day is celebrated on June 17.