Gaudentius of Ossero

Gaudentius of Ossero (Gaudentius Auxerensis) was a bishop of Ossero (Croatian: Osor), on the island of Lošinj in the Istrian March in 1030. Falsely accused, he travelled to Rome in 1032 to defend his name. On the way home, he fell ill in Ancona, and stayed there to recover. He then resigned his see in 1042, and became a Benedictine monk under Saint Peter Damian. He died in 1044 of natural causes. June 1 is his Feast Day.

A church was built in his name in Osor in the 14th century. It still currently holds his relics in the altar. St. Gaudentius was born in Tržić in the vicinity of Osor. The abbey was active in Osor from 1018 till 1942 (or 1944). He was a great cultural and national reviver. He initiated the construction of St. Peter's monastery for men and the St. Mary of Mercy monastery for women. Osor became a strong glagolitic center.

The legend

There is an alleged history of St. Gaudentius. It is believed that his reforms did not comply with the wishes of some noble men from Osor, who took advantage of the instability within the papal state and attacked him. Bishop Gaudentius escaped and hid at the base of Mount Osoršćica. There he lived in a cave for one year. The cave was full of snakes and while he was repenting, he begged God for mercy to free these islands forever from poisonous snakes. He escaped to Rome and he continued with his penitential life in the Franciscan monastery in Ancona, where he died on May 31, 1044.

One hundred years later, all the bells began to ring by themselves early before dawn. Later, the citizens then found there was a wooden chest in the sea under the town wall. In it, there was another iron chest with the body of St. Gaudentius. He was proclaimed the patron saint of the town and the whole island. His remains are now in the altar of the church of his name.

See also

• Calendar of saints
• Doctor of the church
• Patron saint