Alfano I, doctor, bishop, politician, was a giant of southern culture and history in the 11th century. He was also a great writer, author of religious poetry and dedicated to friends.
1015-1020
1085
Doctor, bishop, politician, literary
Alphano I
Extraordinary character, Bishop Alfano. He was a great religious, a great doctor, a great literate. Truly a man who best summarizes the concepts of harmony of sciences, spirit and soul characteristic of the Medical School.
Born in Salerno between 1015 and 1020, as a noble family, he participated in the political life of the city, and then of Christian Europe, collaborating with the reform of the Church initiated by the great Ildebrando of Soana, Pope Gregory VII. He was a church man linked to the Abbey of Montecassino, he was a physician and a translator from Greek of classics of medicine, and he was a fine author of poems.
He became a friend of Desire, the abbot of Montecassino, who had come to cure in our city, and with him shared for years political and religious commitment.
He participated in many councils, and also had the honour of hosting one in Salerno in 1068. He was in conflict with the Lombard prince Gisulfo, then opposed the Normans, but when the Guiscardo conquered his city, he managed to live with him and convinced him to build the splendid cathedral that preserves the relics of St. Matthew. And in Salerno, Gregory VII, led here by the Guiscardo, who had saved him from the siege of Emperor Henry IV. And in Salerno Ildebrando found peace in his last months of life and he is also buried in our cathedral, which he himself had consecrated.
He traveled a lot, went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, was first prisoner of the Emperor of the East and then fled from him, made his life a monument to faith, science, literature.
He wrote a lot, in fact, and as a literate it is to be remembered even more than as a political and faith man. He composed many poetic works, in honor of the Saints, first of all, to celebrate their liturgies. And then dedicated to many friends, bishops and monks related to his beloved Montecassino, and perhaps his poetry of friendship is literaryly the most valuable. He also wrote a series of essays of theology, and, of course, of medicine, some originals, others translated from Greek.