Peter of Anagni

Who was Peter of Anagni?

Peter of Anagni was Benedictine, Bishop, and papal legate. Born in Salerno, Italy, he entered the Benedictines and so distinguished himself as a monk that Pope Gregory VII appointed him Bishop of Anagni. As bishop, he improved the spiritual welfare of the city, built a new cathedral, and promoted the First Crusade to the Holy Land, a venture in which he participated. Pope Urban II sent him to Constantinople as papal legate to the Byzantine Empire. He was canonized in 1109 by Pope Paschal II, a mere four years after his death.