Ursus of Aosta

Saint Ursus of Aosta
Died	6th century Aosta
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church
Canonized	Pre-congregation
Major shrine	Collegiate church of Saint Ursus
Feast	February 1; June 21 (Burano)[1]
Attributes	archdeacon with a staff and book, bearing birds on his shoulder; wearing fur pelisse in a religious habit; striking water from a rock; or giving shoes to the poor.
Patronage	Ivrea; Cogne; invoked in childbirth; children who die before baptism; invoked against faintness, kidney disease, and rheumatism

Ursus of Aosta (Italian: Sant'Orso d'Aosta; French: Saint Ours d'Aoste; fl. 6th century) was an Italian evangelist of the 6th century, today venerated as a saint. His feast day is February 1.

Biography

Originally thought to have been of Irish origin, historians seem to agree that he came from the Val d’Aosta.[2][3] He became a monk at the Abbey of San Giusto in Aosta.[4] Ursus was later appointed archdeacon for Jucundus [fr] (in Italian, San Giocondo; in French, Saint Joconde), bishop of Aosta.[5] He built the Church of San Lorenzo, which became the Collegiate church of Saint Ursus in Aosta.[6][7] He evangelized the region of Digne and was an opponent of Arianism.

Patronage

Ursus is a patron saint of Burano.[1]

The Fiera di Sant’Orso in Aosta is held annually on January 30th and 31st.[4][2]

References

1. Stracke, Richard. "The Saints Named Ursus in Art", Christian Iconography
2. Monchiero, Alessandro. "The Fair of Saint Ursus in Aosta", Specchio di La Stampa, January 13, 2001
3. "The Cloister of Sant’Orso in Aosta", Cenobium
4. "The Fair of Saint Orso, Aosta’s biggest celebration", L'Italo Americano, January 23, 2024
5. Holweck, Frederick George (1924). A Biographical Dictionary of the Saints: With a General Introduction on Hagiology. B. Herder. p. 1000.
6. Watkins, Basil (19 November 2015). "Juventius of Pavia". The Book of Saints: A Comprehensive Biographical Dictionary (8th ed.). Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 739. ISBN 978-0-567-66415-0.
7. Fodor's Travel Guides (14 December 2021). "Aosta". Fodor's Essential Italy 2022. Fodor's Travel. ISBN 978-1-64097-448-7.

External links

• St. Ursus of Aosta - Catholic Online