Saint Romuald – 19 June
St Romuald was born to a wealthy family in Ravenna, Italy in around 951. As a young man he lived a life of indulgence, but after witnessing his father kill a relative in a duel, Romuald went to the Basilica of Sant’ Apollinare and did 40 days of penance for his father. He became a monk there, but he felt that the observances were not strict enough, so he moved to Venice and lived the severe life of a hermit for 10 years. Romuald then spent the next 30 years travelling Italy, founding and reforming monasteries and hermitages, before once again withdrawing to live his remaining years as a hermit.
