Bruno

Who was Bruno?

Saint Bruno, Bishop of Segni and Abbot of Montecassino, is an Italian Catholic saint.

Born at Solero between 1045 and 1049, he was educated in a monastery near his birthplace and at Bologna, became a canon at Siena, and came to Rome in 1079. Here he came in contact with the leaders of the Church, and must have soon attracted the attention of Gregory VII, if it is true that it was at his request that he disputed with Berengar on the Eucharist. In any case he accomplished his task so well that the pope made him Bishop of Segni in the Campagna the same year.

He was even more closely connected with Urban II, whom he accompanied to France in 1095. In 1099, he entered the monastery of Monte Cassino, but without resigning his see or severing his relations with the outside world. He undertook an important mission to France for Paschal II in 1106, and remained with the pope for some time after his return, finally going back to his cloister, where he was elected abbot in 1107. Paschal made no objection to this pluralism until in the conflicts of 1111 Bruno took the part of the antipope Maginulf, and was forced to resign his abbacy and return to Segni.