Roger of Cannae

Saint Roger of Cannae was born in Italy around 1060, and was chosen as bishop of the Apulian town of Cannae. His shepherding was soon tested: in 1083 Cannae was devastated by Robert Guiscard amid conflicts with Norman barons, leaving little standing but the cathedral and the bishop’s residence. Roger devoted himself to the city’s moral and material renewal, strengthening his people with the consolations of faith and practical help in their need. Faithful to the reforms of Pope Gregory VII, he lived ascetically, cared for the poor, and kept his home as a welcoming refuge for pilgrims and the destitute. His wisdom and steady charity earned wide respect; popes such as Paschal II and Gelasius II reportedly sought his counsel in resolving disputes and questions of law. Tradition even remembers an eagle shading him on pilgrimage to Monte Sant’Angelo, a sign of God’s providential care. Roger died on December 30, 1129, and is venerated as patron of Barletta and Cannae. His feast day is December 30.