Saint Berthold
Saint Berthold of Calabria (died c. March 29, 1195 AD on Mount Carmel, Palestine) was a French Crusader-turned-hermit who is traditionally regarded as one of the founders of the Carmelite Order on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land. He gathered a group of Western hermits on Mount Carmel and gave them a more organized form of common life, forming the community that would eventually receive a rule from Saint Albert, Patriarch of Jerusalem (c. 1206–1214) and become the Carmelite Order. His feast day is March 29.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Berthold
| Saint Berthold | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | March 29 |
| Profession | Crusader; hermit; monastic founder |
| Rel. Affiliation | Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Carmelites) — early founder |
| Patronage | Carmelite Order |
| Attributes | Carmelite habit (brown and white scapular); hermit's cave |
| Birthplace | Limoges or Calabria (traditions differ), France/Italy |
| Death Place | Mount Carmel, Palestine (present-day Israel) |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes |
| Primary Shrine | Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel — the Stella Maris Carmelite Monastery |
| Liturgical Class | Feast (Carmelite Order); not in universal Roman calendar |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Berthold came to the Holy Land during the Crusading period—possibly as a Crusader himself or as a pilgrim—and was drawn to the hermit's life on Mount Carmel, the biblical mountain associated with the prophet Elijah. He settled there with a group of companions who gathered around him, living in separate caves but sharing a common religious orientation centered on the chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the valley of the Wadi es-Siah.
Berthold is credited with organizing this scattered community of hermits into a more coherent group and giving them leadership. His community later received a formal Rule written by Saint Albert, Patriarch of Jerusalem (c. 1206–1214)—some years after Berthold's death. This rule, later confirmed and modified by Popes, became the Carmelite Rule that governs the Order to this day.
Berthold died on Mount Carmel around 1195 and is commemorated in the Carmelite Order as one of its founding figures. The Stella Maris Monastery at Haifa, built on Mount Carmel, stands as the spiritual center of the Carmelite Order worldwide.
Significant events
- Came to Mount Carmel as a hermit or Crusader during the Crusading period.
- Organized the hermit community on Mount Carmel; regarded as one of the Order's founders.
- Died c. March 29, 1195 on Mount Carmel.
- The community he organized received a formal Rule from Saint Albert of Jerusalem c. 1206–1214.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Limoges or Calabria (traditions differ), France/Italy
Death location: Mount Carmel, Palestine (present-day Israel)
Notable location: The site of his hermitage and the original Carmelite community (Mount Carmel, Haifa District, Israel)
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Stella Maris Carmelite Monastery, Haifa, Israel — the principal Carmelite shrine on Mount Carmel; the Cave of Elijah is nearby.
Feast day
March 29
Veneration
Saint Berthold is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church and especially in the Carmelite Order with a feast day on March 29. He is honored as one of the founding figures of the Carmelite tradition.
Prayers
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