Saint of the day June 20: Saint John of Matera. Catholic Saints

Every June 20, the Church celebrates Saint John of Matera, Italian monk who founded the Order of Pulsano – which is why he is also known as Saint John of Pulsano. For a long period, John lived as a hermit in the mountains of southern Italy. The congregation that he later founded was part of the great Benedictine family, but, unfortunately, it did not survive over time and is now extinct.

Giovanni Scalcione was born in the city of Matera, Kingdom of Naples (now part of Italy), around the year 1070. When he was still a child, John dreamed of living as a hermit. When he grew up, he wanted to pursue his dream and left his parents’ house for the islands located in front of Taranto, where there was a monastery. There he entered as a lay brother to serve as shepherd and guardian of flocks.

Target of the hostility of this world

Some time later he was sent to Ginosa where he began to preach and promote the restoration of the city’s temple, around which a new monastery would later be built. In the midst of the restoration effort, Saint John of Matera was unjustly accused of having appropriated some property belonging to the Church and, by order of the governor of the province, he would be sentenced to prison.

The accusation was nothing more than a slander created by his enemies, jealous of the moral authority exhibited by the saint. Furthermore, his well-known austerity reinforced the idea that both the accusations and the punishment were unfounded. It was also true that part of the population did not want a monastery in the place because they viewed with displeasure the possibility that John was a raised voice against the secular power that sought to interfere in ecclesial life.

Shortly after, without the reasons being clarified until today, Juan was released from prison. This contributed to the widespread rumor at the time that he had been freed by an angel. The saint then heads to Capua, where he remains for a brief time before continuing on his way. Juan could not remain in the place since the residents were scared, fearing reprisals from the authorities.

Lack of understanding from his brothers

Arriving in Bari, he resumed preaching and catechism, but was accused again, this time of heresy. His enemies used as a pretext a certain emphasis that John placed on the importance of austerity to achieve holiness. When things became clearer, he was released again, thanks to being allowed to defend himself in court; right that he exercised personally and brilliantly.

In 1130, in the ancient monastery of San Gregorio de Pulsano, built thanks to his initiative and drive, John founded the monastic congregation that bears the name of ‘Order of San Pulsano’. There he restores the rule of Saint Benedict in its spirit and letter, and is named abbot, a service he held for the next ten years.

Saint John of Matera had the blessing of seeing his spiritual children grow up, who began to become known and increase in number – about 50 monks joined the Order in a few years.

The saint died on June 20, 1139 in Foggia (Pulla), where he had traveled with the intention of opening one more monastery for the congregation.