Saint Homobonus
Saint Homobonus (born c. 1115 AD in Cremona, Lombardy, Italy; died November 13, 1197 AD in Cremona, Lombardy, Italy) was an Italian cloth merchant and layman of Cremona who was renowned for his extraordinary charity to the poor, his devout life of prayer, and his death in church — he collapsed and died during Mass while extending his arms in the shape of a cross during the singing of the Gloria. He was canonized within two years of his death by Pope Innocent III, who called him the father of the poor and the honor of merchants. He is the patron of tailors, clothworkers, and merchants. His feast day is November 13.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Homobonus
| Saint Homobonus | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | November 13 |
| Profession | Cloth merchant; layman; charitable worker |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; lay faithful; Franciscan Third Order connections (though Francis was not yet born when Homobonus died) |
| Patronage | Cremona; tailors; cloth merchants; clothworkers; business people; the poor; those who die during Mass; Italy |
| Attributes | Bale of cloth or measuring tape (merchant); purse or coins given to poor; arms outstretched in prayer (his death posture); man collapsed in church |
| Birthplace | Cremona, Lombardy, Italy |
| Death Place | Cremona, Lombardy, Italy |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes; died during Mass at the Church of Saint Giles in Cremona while praying with arms extended in the shape of a cross during the Gloria; November 13, 1197 |
| Primary Shrine | Church of Sant'Omobono (Saint Homobonus), Cremona, Italy — the principal church dedicated to him in Cremona; his relics; pilgrimage site; the feast November 13 is observed here with great solemnity |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman Calendar; feast November 13; observed in Diocese of Cremona and Lombardy |
| Historic Class | Not in universal 1962 calendar; locally observed |
Biography
Homobonus (Good Man — an apt name that his hagiographers noted as prophetic) was born around 1115 in Cremona to a cloth merchant. He followed his father into the trade and became prosperous. He married and had children. His entire life was spent in Cremona as a merchant of cloth.
What made him remarkable was his combination of intense personal piety and extraordinary charitable generosity. He gave a substantial portion of his income to the poor — directly, personally, not through intermediaries. He rose at midnight for prayer, attended Mass and the Divine Office, fasted regularly, and took seriously the spiritual discipline of a layman in the world. He was known for absolute honesty in his business dealings.
Pope Innocent III, who canonized him in 1199 — barely two years after his death — described him in the bull of canonization as the father of the poor (pater pauperum) and the honor of merchants (honor negotiatorum). Innocent used his canonization as an opportunity to articulate the principle that holiness is possible in any state of life, not only in the religious life — a point of some significance in the early 13th century, when the poverty movements (Waldensians, early Franciscans, etc.) were raising questions about the status of lay wealth and commerce.
He died on November 13, 1197, during Mass at the Church of Saint Giles in Cremona — collapsing in the form of a cross during the Gloria, a death so perfectly emblematic of his entire life that it was immediately taken as a sign of divine favor.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Cremona, Lombardy, Italy
Death location: Cremona, Lombardy, Italy
Notable location: His birthplace and the city of his entire life; he was a cloth merchant here; his extraordinary charity transformed the city's poor relief; the Cathedral of Cremona and the Church of Sant'Omobono are associated with him; he is the principal patron of Cremona (Cremona, Lombardy, Italy)
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Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Homobonus have been added to the database yet.
Media
| Media | Length | AuthorCreator |
|---|---|---|
| Story of Saint Homobonus | Saints and Angels TV | EP 180 | #saintsandangelstv #saintsandangelstv | 5–15 minutes | Saints and Angels TV |
Shrines
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No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
Known shrines
- Church of Sant'Omobono, Cremona, Italy — his relics; patron church of the city; feast November 13.
Feast day
November 13
Veneration
Saint Homobonus is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church with a feast day on November 13, observed in Cremona and Lombardy. He is the patron of tailors and clothworkers.
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
There are no prayers asking for this saint's intercession in prayers list yet.