Amicus, O.S.B. was a 12th century Roman Catholic

Cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal most commonly refers to * Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of three species in the family Cardinalidae ***Northern cardinal, ''Cardinalis cardinalis'', the common cardinal of ...

, and Cardinal-priest of the ''titulus'' of Ss. Nereo ed Achilleo in Rome.

Early career

Amicus began his ecclesiastical life as a monk in the Benedictine congregation of

Montecassino The Abbey of Monte Cassino (today usually spelled Montecassino) is a Catholic, Benedictine monastery on a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, in the Latin Valley. Located on the site of the ancient Roman town of Casinum, it is the first house ...

. He rose to the rank of Dean (''decanus'') in the monastic hierarchy. Between 1109 and 1117, he became abbot of the monastic community of S. Vincenzo al Volturno, "sito intus hanc... capuanum civitatem."

Cardinal

During a papal visit to Montecassino in 1117,

Pope Paschal II Pope Paschal II (; 1050 1055 – 21 January 1118), born Raniero Raineri di Bleda, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 August 1099 to his death in 1118. A monk of the Abbey of Cluny, he was creat ...

ordained Amicus a priest and appointed him Cardinal-priest of Ss. Nereo ed Achilleo in Rome. He apparently retained the post of abbot of S. Vincenzo until his death. Two months later he was with the pope at Benevento, when, on 20 April 1117, he was the recipient of a papal privilege. Cardinal Amicus participated in

the election ''The Election'' () is a political drama series produced by Hong Kong Television Network (HKTV). With a budget of HK$15 million, filming started in July 2014 and wrapped up on 28 October 2014. Popularly voted to be the inaugural drama of ...

of Cardinal Giovanni Gaetani as

Pope Gelasius II Pope Gelasius II (c. 1060/1064 – 29 January 1119), born Giovanni Caetani or Giovanni da Gaeta (also called ''Coniulo''), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 January 1118 to his death in 1119. A monk of Monte C ...

on 24 January 1118. The electoral meeting took place at the monastery of the Palladium (Santa Maria in Pallara, near the Arch of Titus and the Arch of Constantine) for reasons of security. Cardinal Amicus was one of those present. During the enthronement ceremony, Cencius Frangipani and his supporters broke into the monastery, seized and abused the pope and others, and carried Gelasius off to one of their prisons. He was rescued, but, on the approach of Henry V to Rome, he fled to Gaeta, to Capua, and then to Pisa. Cardinal Amicus, O.S.B. played no part in the election of

Pope Calixtus II Pope Callixtus II or Callistus II ( – 13 December 1124), born Guy of Burgundy, was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from February 1119 to his death in 1124. His pontificate was shaped by the Investiture Controversy ...

in 1119. He was not at Cluny, and he was not in Rome. It may be assumed that he was at his abbey of S. Vincenzo. He does not appear in the documentary record again until 1128. In March 1128 at Capua, he received a privilege for his monastery of S. Vincenzo granted by Prince

Robert II of Capua Robert II (died 1156) was the count of Aversa and the prince of Capua from 1127 until his death . He was the only son and successor of Jordan II of Capua. According to the Lombard chronicler Falco of Benevento, he was "of delicate constitution ...

, "in quo etiam dominus Amicus venerabilis cardinalis Sancte romane aecclesiae abbas pr(a)eesse dinoscitur...." Cardinal Amicus, O.S.B.Casin., died on 4 January in a year after 1130. There was another contemporary Cardinal Amicus, of the

title A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify their generation, official position, military rank, professional or academic qualification, or nobility. In some languages, titles may be ins ...

Santa Croce in Gerusalemme The Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem or Basilica di Santa Croce in Gerusalemme () is a Catholic Minor basilica and titular church in rione Esquilino, Rome, Italy. It is one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome. According to Christia ...

. Both cardinals named Amicus are listed by Cardinal

Pandulfus Pisanus Pandulf of Pisa was a twelfth-century Italian cardinal, and biographer of several contemporary popes. He was a native of Rome. He was a nephew of Cardinal Hugo of Alatri. Under Pope Paschal II, and probably with the patronage of his uncle, Pandul ...

as having taken part in the election of

on 24 January 1118. He continues to appear in documents until April 1121.Hüls, p. 163. Ganzer, p. 69.

Notes and references

Bibliography

* * Gregorovius, Ferdinand (1896)
''History of Rome in the Middle Ages''
Volume IV. part 2, second edition (London: George Bell, 1896). * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Amicus, O.S.B. Year of death unknown 12th-century Italian cardinals Cardinal-priests Year of birth unknown