St. Maurus II

Having served as abbot of the monastery of Classis, in Ravenna, Italy, Maurus became bishop of Cesena around 934. A zealous and devoted pastor, he found the strength to preach during the day by withdrawing in the evening to a hilltop retreat outside the city. Here, amid a densely wooded forest, he erected for himself a hermitage and chapel. This retreat symbolically represented for him Jerusalem's Mount of Olives, where Christ withdrew to pray. During Lent, Maurus spent each day at his hermitage, praying and fasting. Following his death, a number of miracles were attributed to his intercession. Upon arriving at the church enclosing Maurus' tomb, a blind woman from France passionately declared her determination never to leave there unless Maurus obtained the restoration of her sight. Having given the saint this "ultimatum," she acted on her words by erecting for her habitation a small hut adjacent to the church, and began her prayers. After persevering for eight days in her supplications, the woman received her sight, and thereupon gave thanks to God and Saint Maurus.