Rudesind: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|10th century Galician bishop and abbot}}

|birth_date=November 26, 907{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}

|venerated_in= [[Roman Catholic Church]]<br>[[Eastern Orthodox Church]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://orthodoxengland.org.uk/oeportug.htm | title=Orthodox Europe :: Portugal }}</ref>

|birth_place= Monte Córdova,

Santo Tirso, Portugal (in 907 County of Portucale)<ref name="Centenario de la Diócesis"/> Galicia

Saint '''Rudesind''' ({{lang-gl|San Rosendo, Rudesindo}}; {{lang-pt|São Rosendo}} {{lang-lat|Rudesindus}}) (November 26, 907 – March 1, 977) was a [[Galician people|Galician]] [[bishop]] and [[abbot]]. He was also a regional administrator and military leader under his kinsmen, the Kings of León.

Rudesind was born into the nobility: his father was Count [[Gutierre Menéndez]] ({{lang-lat|Gutiher Ermegildi}}), brother-in-law to [[Ordoño II]] and supporter of [[Alfonso III of León]], and his mother was St. Ilduara Eriz ({{lang-lat|Hilduara Erici}}),<ref name="Centenario de la Diócesis">[http://www.vitral.org/vitral/vitral52/centdio.htm Centenario de la Diócesis<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071227033907/http://www.vitral.org/vitral/vitral52/centdio.htm |date=2007-12-27 }}</ref><ref name="San Rosendo Celanova">{{Cite web|url=http://www.terradecelanova.com/html/san_rosendo.htm|title=San Rosendo Celanova|last=Vazquez|first=Manuel|website=www.terradecelanova.com|access-date=2018-08-06}}</ref> daughter of count [[Ero Fernández]]. His sister Hermesenda became wife of Count Pelayo González and mother-in-law of count [[Gonzalo Menéndez]]. Rudesind was the grandson of Ermesenda Gatónez, sister of his predecessor in the see of [[Mondoñedo]] (''Dumium''), Bishop [[Savaric II (Bishop of Mondoñedo)|Sabarico II]], and was also related to the abbess [[Saint Senorina]]. He became a [[monk]] at a young age and became bishop of Mondoñedo at the age of 18 (as '''Rudesind II''').<ref name="San Rosendo Celanova"/> He served as bishop from 925 to 950, then after a hiatus in which his nephew [[Arias Núnez]] filled the role, again served briefly from 955 to 958, to be followed again by Arias. Another nephew, [[Arias Peláez]], would later hold the see.<ref>Manuel Carriedo Tejedo, [https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=602294&orden=416794&info=link "Cronología de los obispos mindonienses del siglo X"], ''El legado cultural de la iglesia mindoniense : Ferrol, 16, 17, 18 de setembro, 1999 : I Congreso do Patrimonio da Diocesis de Mondoñedo'', pp. 235–253</ref>

==Founder of monasteries==

He founded, allegedly under the [[Benedictine Rule]], monasteries such as [[Saint John of Caaveiro]] (San Xoán de Caaveiro) (934) and the [[Monastery of San Salvador de Celanova]] (September 12, 936).

To build Celanova, he managed to make his brother {{lang-es|Fruela}} ({{lang-lat|Froyla}}) and his cousin {{lang-es|Jimena}} ({{lang-lat|Scemena}}) give up their rights to the land of ''Villar'', where he founded this monastery.<ref name="San Rosendo, Obispo Y Abad">{{Cite web|url=http://www.mercaba.org/SANTORAL/Vida/03/03-01_san_rosendo.htm|title=SAN ROSENDO, OBISPOYABAD|website=www.mercaba.org|access-date=2018-08-06}}</ref>

In 955, he was named by [[Ordoño III of León|King Ordoño III]] governor of the lands of Celanova. Rudesind also had jurisdiction over the lands that extended from [[Riocaldo]] (the southern boundary of Galicia) to Santa Maria de [[Ortigueira]] (on the [[Bay of Biscay|Cantabrian]] coast).<ref name="San Rosendo Celanova"/> Later, at the request of [[Elvira Ramírez of León]] ({{lang-lat|Geloyra Renamiri}}), aunt of the future [[Ramiro III of León|Ramiro III]], he was made governor of Galicia, from spring of 968 to early 969.<ref name="San Rosendo Celanova"/>

He led forces against [[Norsemen|Norse]] and [[Moorish]] armies. The Moors had crossed the [[Mondego River|Mondego]] and had reached the [[Minho River|Minho]].<ref name="San Rosendo, Obispo Y Abad"/>

In 966, the Norsemen had raided [[Kingdom of Galicia|Galicia]] and killed the warlord and bishop of Santiago de Compostela [[Sisnando Menéndez|Sisnand]] in battle, but Rudesind later rallied the local forces and killed their leader [[Gunrod|Gundered]].

==Second Episcopal career==

Rudesind had already served as bishop of Mondoñedo - Dumio. After the killing of Sisnand in the battle of [[Fornelos de Montes|Fornelos]], Rudesind was appointed administrator of the See of [[Iria Flavia]], and he was in charge of that diocese from 968 to 977. After 977, he retired from his sees (he was succeeded at Compostela by [[Pelayo Rodríguez (bishop)|Pelayo Rodríguez]], a monk of Celanova).

Rudesind succeeded [[St. Franquila]] (originally from the monastery of [[Ribas de Sil]]) as abbot of Celanova. As abbot of Celanova, he was a leading figure of his time, and received visits from religious leaders throughout [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]] and [[Portugal]] who wanted spiritual advice.<ref name="St. Rudesind - Catholic Online">{{Cite web|url=http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=4646|title=St. Rudesind - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online|website=Catholic Online|language=en|access-date=2018-08-06}}</ref> A [[deacon]] named Egila, in a donation that he made to Celanova, wrote this to Rudesind: "To you, eminent bishop, Rudesind, holiest father, true teacher, who teaches your subjects with your words and deeds...".<ref name="San Rosendo, Obispo Y Abad"/> He earned a reputation for performing [[miracles]].<ref name="St. Rudesind - Catholic Online"/>

A legend told of Rudesind concerns his birth. His mother had previous children, but they had all died in infancy. When her husband Gutierre went on an expedition to [[Coimbra]] with Alfonso III, Ilduara accompanied him. She prayed at the hermitage of San Salvador on [[Monte Córdova|Monte Cordova]], after climbing up to it alone and barefoot. There she received the knowledge, from [[Saint Michael]], that she would bear a son who would become not only a great leader of men but also a holy man. In gratitude, she ordered the construction of a church there and remained until Rudesind had been born. She wanted to baptize her son at San Salvador, but the cart used to haul up the [[baptismal font]] broke down. The workers went to get another cart. Meanwhile, however, Saint Michael had the broken cart move up the hill on its own accord.<ref name="San Rosendo, Obispo Y Abad"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://catholicforum.com/saints/saintr1h.htm |title=Patron Saints Index: Saint Rudesind<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2007-11-19 |archive-date=2005-12-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051216103158/http://catholicforum.com/saints/saintr1h.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==See also==

{{portal bar|Biography|Catholicism|Saints|Spain}}

{{Commons category|Rosendo de Celanova}}

*[http://catholicforum.com/saints/saintr1h.htm Saint Rudesind] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051216103158/http://catholicforum.com/saints/saintr1h.htm |date=2005-12-16 }}

*{{in lang|es}} [http://www.terradecelanova.com/html/san_rosendo.htm San Rosendo]

*{{in lang|es}} [http://www.mercaba.org/SANTORAL/Vida/03/03-01_san_rosendo.htm SAN ROSENDO, OBISPO Y ABAD]

*{{in lang|es}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20071227033907/http://www.vitral.org/vitral/vitral52/centdio.htm San Rosendo: Nuestro Patrono]

{{succession box | title=[[Roman Catholic Diocese of Mondoñedo-Ferrol|Bishop of Dumium]] | before=[[Savaric II (Bishop of Mondoñedo)|Sabaricus II]] | after=[[Arias Núnez]] | years= 925&ndash;950 }}

{{succession box | title=[[Roman Catholic Diocese of Mondoñedo-Ferrol|Bishop of Dumium]] | before=[[Arias Núnez]] | after=[[Arias Núnez]] | years= 950&ndash;958 }}

{{succession box | title=[[Iria Flavia|Administrator of Diocese of Iria Flavia]] | before=[[Sisnando Menéndez]]<br>(Bishop) | after=[[Pelayo Rodríguez (bishop)|Pelayo Rodríguez]]<br>(Bishop) | years= 970&ndash;977 }}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Portuguese Roman Catholic saints]]

[[Category:Bishops of Mondoñedo]]

[[Category:Galician nobility]]

[[Category:10th-century Galician bishops]]