Laurence of Siponto

Laurence of Siponto, also known as Laurence Maioranus (Italian: Lorenzo Maiorano) (d. 7 February, c. 545), is an Italian saint, patron of the city of Manfredonia and the Archdiocese of Manfredonia-Vieste-San Giovanni Rotondo. Manfredonia Cathedral is dedicated to him.

Laurence was a 6th-century bishop of Sipontum. Shortly after his appointment in 492 or 493 he received the visions of Saint Michael which led to the establishment of the shrine of Monte Gargano.

His relics are now in Manfredonia Cathedral, where they were translated in 1327 by Bishop Matteo Orsini from Siponto Cathedral. His feast is on 7 February.

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Saint Lawrence (disambiguation)

Saint Lawrence or Saint Laurence (also St. Lawrence, St Laurence) is a title applied to many things named after Saint Lawrence, the 3rd century Christian martyr. Its French equivalent is Saint Laurent (and typically hyphenated when used for place names).

Saints

People with the surname

Lawrence of Rome

Lawrence of Rome (Laurence in the Anglican Communion) (Latin: Laurentius, lit. "laurelled"; c. 225–258) was one of the seven deacons of Ancient Rome under Pope Sixtus II that were martyred during the persecution by Emperor Valerian in 258.

Life

St Lawrence is thought to have been born in Huesca, a town in the Aragon region that was once part of the Roman province of Hispania Tarraconensis. Here he encountered the future Pope Sixtus II, who was of Greek origin, one of the most famous and highly esteemed teachers in Caesaraugusta (today Zaragoza), which was one of the empire's most renowned centres of learning. Eventually, both left Spain for Rome. When Sixtus became the Pope in 257, he ordained St Lawrence as a deacon, and though still young appointed him first among the seven deacons who served in the patriarchal church. He is therefore called "archdeacon of Rome", a position of great trust that included the care of the treasury and riches of the church and the distribution of alms among the poor.

Siponto

Siponto (Latin: Sipontum, Greek: Σιπιούς) was an ancient port town of Apulia in southern Italy. The town was abandoned after earthquakes in the 13th century; today the area is administered as a frazione of the comune of Manfredonia, in the province of Foggia. Siponto is located around 3 km south of Manfredonia.

History

According to legend, Sipontum was founded by Diomedes, product of the union of the Homeric hero of the same name with the daughter of the king of the Dauni. Siponto was probably founded by the Dauni.

Sipontum was a flourishing Greek colony, its Greek name being Sipious (Σιπιούς); having fallen into the hands of the Samnites, it was retaken about 335 B. C. by King Alexander of Epirus, uncle of Alexander the Great. In 189 B. C. it became a Roman colony with its original Sipious name still used in Byzantine times, and in A. D. 663 it was taken and destroyed by the Slavs.

In the ninth century, Sipontum was for a time in the power of the Saracens; ln 1042 the Normans made it the seat of one of their twelve counties. The latter won a decisive victory there over the Byzantine general Argyrus in 1052.