Saint Ubald

Ubald of Gubbio (Italian: Ubaldo; Latin: Ubaldus; French: Ubalde; ca. 1084–1160) was a medieval bishop of Gubbio, in Umbria, today venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church. Saint Ubaldo Day is still celebrated at the Basilica of Sant'Ubaldo in Gubbio in his honor, as well as at Jessup, Pennsylvania. Born Ubaldo Baldassini, the only son of noble parents Rovaldo and Guiliana Baldassini. He was a relative of Sperandia, abbess of a Camaldolese monastery at Cingoli. Ubald was baptized in the church of San Giovanni and named after his uncle. Ubald's parents died while he was still very young, and he was raised by his uncle, the bishop of Gubbio. He was educated by the prior of the cathedral church of his native city, where he also became a canon regular. Ubald entered the Monastery of St. Secondo in the same city, where he remained for some years. He was ordained about 1114. Recalled by his bishop, he returned to the cathedral monastery. The bishop made him prior of his cathedral that he might reform several abuses in the behaviour of the canons. He learned that Peter de Honestis some years before had established a community of canons regular at the monastery of Santa Maria in Portofuori at Ravenna. He also heard that Peter had given special statutes to the canons, which had been approved by Pope Paschal II. Ubald went there, where he remained for three months, to learn the details and the practice of their rules, wishing to introduce them among his own canons of Gubbio. He did so upon his return. After some years, the chapter house and cloister burned down. Ubaldus looked upon this as a favourable opportunity of leaving his post, and become a hermit. With this in mind he made his way to that of Font-Avellano, where he found Peter of Rimini, to whom he communicated his design of quitting the world. Peter opposed the notion as a dangerous temptation, and exhorted him to return to his former vocation, in which God had fixed him for the good of others.