ST. RICHARD, BISHOP OF ANDRIA, CONFESSOR

THIS saint was an Englishman by birth, and turning his soul to God with his whole strength from his infancy, was careful so to spend the most precious time of his youth as to ground himself early in rooted habits of abstinence, humility, prayer, and all other virtues. In the meantime, he applied himself to the study both of the liberal and sacred sciences, taught the latter for some time with great applause, and took holy orders. With a view to his spiritual advancement he left his own country, and travelling into Italy, led a most holy retired life, till the reputation of his learning and extraordinary sanctity filled the whole country. The pope having been long acquainted with his qualifications and virtue, at length promoted him to the bishopric of Andria in Apulia. All Italy was at that time miserably distracted by domestic feuds and factions. Richard, by his prudence and zeal, was a great instrument of the divine mercy in applying a remedy to these inveterate evils, and to stir up men to a spirit of penance and piety. Whilst he preached to others not only in his own diocess, but over the whole country, at the request of the neighboring bishops, like a Baptist or a St. Paul, he nourished his soul with the heavenly dew of prayer, and kept his body in subjection by exercising upon himself incredible severities. He died towards the close of the twelfth century, was canonized by pope Boniface VIII. and is honored at Andria as patron of that church. See his life in Ughelli’s Italia Sacra, and in the Bollandists on the 9th of June.