Feastday: May 22
Death: 550
Monk who influenced St. Benedict of Nursia. A hermit in the area around Subiaco, Italy, Romanus discovered the young Benedict shortly after the latter had left the world and embarked upon his eremitical lifestyle. Romanus dressed Benedict in his monastic habit, showed him the cave where Benedict lived for three years, and kept him supplied with food. According to tradition, he departed Italy to escape the invading barbarians and founded Fontrouge Abbey in Auxerre, France, where he died.
Saint Romanus of Subiaco (died ca. 550 AD) was a hermit in the area around Subiaco, Italy.
He is remembered as having assisted and influenced Saint Benedict of Nursia, when the latter had just begun his life as a hermit. Romanus provided Benedict with clothing (a religious habit), food, and housing (in the form of a cave above the river Anio, which Benedict lived in for 3 years
Romanus is said to have gone to Gaul, where he founded a small monastery at Dryes-Fontrouge (Druyes-les-Belles-Fontaines) near Auxerre. He died there about 550 and was venerated as a saint. He is sometimes identified with the Romanus of Auxerre who was venerated as Bishop of Auxerre on 8 or 6 October.
