Feastday: December 5
Death: 1109
In the latter half of the eleventh century, the archbishop of Toledo named Bernard, was delegated by the Pope to bring about an ecclesiastical reform in Spain. He called in various French clerics and monks, among whom was St. Gerald, Abbott of Moissac, who was appointed choir director of theCathedral of Toledo.
So well did this saintly man fulfil his duties and so much did he influence the people for good, that when the See of Braga became vacant, Gerald was selected by the clergy and people of that city to be their bishop. Gerald visited his diocese eradicating the abuses that had cropped up, especially that of the administering of ecclesiastical investiture by laymen.
This man of God was called to his heavenly reward on December 5, 1109, at Bornos, Portugal. His feast day is December 5th.
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Gerald of Braga, born in Cahors, Gascony, was a Benedictine monk at Moissac, France. He later worked with the archbishop of Toledo, in Castile, and served as cathedral choir director. He baptised Afonso I of Portugal. He later became the reforming Bishop of Braga, Portugal on July 3, 1095, and stopped ecclesiastical investiture by laymen in his diocese. He died on December 5, 1109, and was buried in Braga Cathedral.
