Albert Avogadro

Who was Albert Avogadro?

Saint Albert Avogadro, commonly known as St. Albert of Jerusalem, was a Catholic canon lawyer who served as Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from 1204 until his death.

Born in Gualtieri, Italy, Albert was educated in theology and law and served as Bishop of Bobbio until 1184, when he was appointed as Bishop of Vercelli. He served the Papacy as a mediator and diplomat between Pope Clement III and Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. He served as papal legate in 1199 and helped end the war between Parma and Piacenza, Italy.

In 1204 he was named Patriarch of Jerusalem by Pope Innocent III, whom he also served as papal legate in the Holy Land. As Patriarch he helped found the Carmelite Order around 1209, in particular by his composition of what came to be called the Carmelite Rule of St. Albert. This order was based on Mount Carmel, across the Bay of Haifa from Acre where he resided as Patriarch. Additionally he mediated in disputes between the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Kingdom of Cyprus and between the Knights Templar and the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia.