Refusal to become a Bishop Bruno of Cologne

saint bruno refuses archbishopric of reggio di calabria, vincenzo carducci, chartreuse of el paular.

on verge of being made bishop himself, bruno instead followed vow had made renounce secular concerns , withdrew, along 2 of friends, raoul , fulcius, canons of reims.

bruno s first thought on leaving reims seems have been place himself , companions under direction of eminent solitary, robert of molesme, had (1075) settled @ sèche-fontaine, near molesme in roman catholic diocese of langres, band of other hermits, later on (in 1098) form cistercians. found not vocation. after short stay went 6 of companions hugh of châteauneuf, bishop of grenoble. bishop, according pious legend, had had vision of these men, under chaplet of 7 stars, , installed them himself in 1084 in mountainous , uninhabited spot in lower alps of dauphiné, in place named chartreuse, not far grenoble. st. bruno were: landuin, stephen of bourg, stephen of die (canons of st. rufus), hugh chaplain , 2 laymen, andrew , guerin, afterwards became first lay brothers.

they built oratory small individual cells @ distance each other lived isolated , in poverty, entirely occupied in prayer , study, these men had reputation learning, , honored visits of st. hugh became 1 of themselves.

at time, bruno s pupil, eudes of châtillon, had become pope urban ii (1088). resolved continue work of reform commenced gregory vii, , being obliged struggle against antipope clement iii , emperor henry iv, in dire need of competent , devoted allies , called former master rome in 1090.

it difficult assign place bruno occupied in rome, or influence in contemporary events, because remained entirely hidden , confidential. lodged in lateran pope himself, privy private councils, worked advisor wisely kept in background, apart fiercely partisan rivalries in rome , within curia. shortly after arrival in rome, papal party forced evacuate south arrival of henry iv own antipope in tow.

bruno of cologne

bruno resisted efforts name him archbishop of reggio calabria, deferring instead in favor of 1 of former pupils nearby in benedictine abbey near salerno. instead bruno begged return again solitary life. intention rejoin brethren in dauphiné, letter addressed them makes clear. of urban ii kept him in italy, near papal court, called @ need.

bruno did not attend council of clermont, urban preached first crusade, seems have been present @ council of benevento (march, 1091). part in history effaced.

the place new retreat, chosen in 1091 bruno , followers had joined him, in roman catholic diocese of squillace, in small forested high valley, band constructed little wooden chapel , cabins. patron there roger of sicily, count of sicily , calabria , uncle of duke of apulia, granted them lands occupied, , close friendship developed. bruno went guiscard court @ mileto visit count in sickness (1098 , 1101), , baptize son, roger (1097), future king of sicily. more roger went retreat friends, erected simple house himself. through generosity, monastery of st. stephen built in 1095, near original hermitage dedicated virgin.

at turn of new century, friends of st. bruno died 1 after other: urban ii in 1099; landuin, prior of grande chartreuse, first companion, in 1100; count roger in 1101. bruno followed on 6 october 1101 in serra san bruno.