Saint Of The Day For January 15: Saint Mauro, Abbot
Mauro, the son of a Roman patrician, was entrusted to St Benedict of Norcia, whose favourite disciple he was.
He became abbot of Subiaco, then founded a monastery in France.
He was the inspiration for the new Benedictine congregation of the Maurines, exterminated during the French Revolution in 1618.
The Story of Mauro
His father introduced him to St Benedict at a very young age when the latter began to organise the monastic experience in Subiaco, around the year 500. Maurus immediately became so involved in St Benedict’s proposal that he soon became his trusted collaborator.
The Miracles of Mauro
Various ‘miracles’ were attributed to St Maurus, but the episode that made him most famous was the rescue of Placidus, his monastery companion. Realising that he was drowning in the river because he had exposed himself too much, Benedict called Mauro and invited him to go and rescue Placidus.
Only when he reached the shore did he realise he had walked on water.
Once Benedict left Subiaco, Mauro continued to live there, until he too joined St Benedict at Monte Cassino, later becoming its abbot.
Saint Gregory the Great tells us about the life of Benedict, as well as that of Maurus, in The Dialogues.
The Worship of St Mauro
Today his memorial is 15 January, but he is also remembered, with St Placidus, on 5 October.
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