June 19, is the Feast Day of St. Romuald, Abbot

St. Romuald, Abbot (950 - 1027)

St. Romuald, founder of the Camaldolese Monks, was born in Ravenna, Italy. Son of a noble family, he grew up in a worldly youth. He witnessed his father killing a relative in a duel over a land property that he fled to the monastery of San Apollinare, leading a life of prayer and penance. His father, following his example, repented of his crime and spent the rest of his life in the monastery of San Severo. Three years later, Romuald became a victim of a calumny and was forced to leave the monastery.

For 30 years he traveled various lands seeking solitude and establishing small monasteries.  He established a new order of the monks in Camaldoli, near Arezzo, known as the Camaldolese. He was later accused of a scandalous crime by a young nobleman. His monks believed him and excommunicated him. He bore all the silence in six months, but then the truth came out and he was re-installed. He died in the monastery of Castro, near Ancona, in 1027