San Prudencio

San Prudencio (Spanish for "Saint Prudence") was a Spanish anchorite and cleric who was bishop over Tarazona. He has been the patron saint of Nájera and Álava since the mid-17th century. His festival is on 28 April.[1]

A statue of St. Prudencio

Life

He was born and lived in Armentia, a village in the municipality of Vitoria, Álava. When he became fifteen years old, he retired being an anchorite to the surroundings of the actual Soria city. He stayed there around seven years and after that he directed to Calahorra, where there were big headquarters. It is affirmed that he evangelized many people in Tarazona when he moved from Soria. Years passed and he was admitted like Tarazonas cathedral cleric, taking over the maintenance of the temple from its beginning, and becoming an archdeacon. After Tarazonas´ bishop death, Prudencio was proposed to be his substitute, achieving the job. As he performed some miraculous healings, he had much fame among sick people, so that is why he escaped from Tarazona and got back to Soria. As there were many disagreements in the bishopric and the cleric of Burgo de Osma, Prudencio was chosen to be the intermediary. After bringing them to an understanding, he contracted a mortal illness and died.

Contributions

San Saturio hermitage (Soria) was built where Prudencio was disciple of Saturio. Although there are many documents referring to San Prudencio, it is said that the breviary of Tarazena is the most certain one. It is not known exactly when he lived, inasmuch as there are many dates between the late 4th century and the late 6th century. If we take into account that Prudencio's master was born in 493, he would have been born in approximately the mid-6th century.

Death and grave

As he died in Burgo de Osma, out of his diocese. Being an illustrious person, his relics occasioned heated quarrels among the jurisdictions. The legend said that the problem was solved by putting the dead body on a horse he used when he was alive, letting it to be free. It stopped in Logroño and they sepultured him in a cave of the mountain called Laturce, the actual town of Clavijo (La Rioja). In the place his grave was at, a church called San Vicente de Mártir was built. According to the friar Gaspar Coronel, its name was changed to the monastery of San Prudencio in 1025. From the 12th century, Laturce mountain and Nájera had many debates because they did not know where to put Prudencio's relics. Finally they divided the objects in half and the own holy in 1040.

Church of Armentia

Sanctification in Álava

In the middle of the 13th century, he was considered as a saint, firstly appeared in San Millán de la Cogolla's monastery cartulary, on 24 April 759, but Prudencio became the pattern of Álava on 18 November 1643 by the own province general meeting. On 5 November 1644 it was voted uniformly on his favor, being ratified in the council on 4 May 1645. In 1688 his own prayer was requested, further of some holidays and his own chapel, located in Armentia.

See also

References
  1. "San Prudencio". Basque Countru Tourism. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
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