Nilus the Younger
Of Rossano, in Calabria; born in 910,
died 27 December, 1005. For a time he was married (or lived
unlawfully); he had a daughter. Sickness brought about his
conversion, however, and from that time he became a monk and a
propagator of the rule of St. Basil in Italy. He was known for his
ascetic life, his virtues, and theological learning. For a time he
iisred as a hermit, later he spent certain periods of his life at
various monasteries which he either founded or restored. He was
for some time at Monte Cassino, and again at the Alexius monastery
at Rome. When Gregory V (966-999) was driven out of Rome, Nilus
opposed the usurpation of Philogatos (John) of Piacenza as
antipope. Later when Philogatos was tortured and mutilated he
reproached Gregory and the Emperor Otto III (993-1002) for this
crime. Nilus' chief work was the foundation of the famous Greek
monastery of Grottaferrata, near Frascati, of which he is counted
the first abbot. He spent the end of his life partly there and
partly in a hermitage at Valleluce near Gaeta. His feast is kept
on 26 September, both in the Byzantine Calendar and the Roman
martyrology.
ADRIAN
FORTESCUE
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