St. Cataldus, Bishop and Confessor.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 9, 4 March 1909, Page 323

St. Cataldus, Bishop and Confessor.-

St. Cataldus,. the second apostle and patron saint of Taranto, was -born in Ireland about the year 615, and whilst a youth was sent to study at the great monastic' school of Lismore. "Whilst returning from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, in which he was accompanied by some of his disciples, the vessel was wrecked in the Gulf of Taranto, not far from the city of that name. When the Irish Bishop saw this beautiful city given over to pleasure and vice his spirit was moved within him, and in burning language he implored the inhabitants to return to the service of God, Whom they had forgotten. It happened at this time that there was no bishop in the. city, so the people besought Cataldus to remain with them, to which request he reluctantly acceded. The saint succeeded in bringing back the inhabitants to the service of God, and Taranto became a Christian city in reality, as well as in name. St. Cataldus died towards the close of the seventh century, and his remains were buried in a marble tomb, which up to this day is preserved in the sacristy of the Cathedral of Taranto.