Alexander of Fiesole, St.
ALEXANDER OF FIESOLE, ST.
Bishop and martyr; b. Fiesole?, Tuscany, Italy; d. near Bologna, c. 833–841. Having been consecrated in Rome, he succeeded to the episcopacy of his native city. In that office he was remarkable for all the pastoral virtues. He persuaded the Emperor lothair i to restore certain properties of which the Church had been despoiled. As Alexander was returning from this successful mission, he was attacked by those who had been forced to surrender their ill-gotten possessions. In the encounter he was drowned in the River Reno. His relics were brought to Fiesole where he quickly became one of the principal patrons.
Feast: June 6.
Bibliography: Acta Sanctorum June 1:738–740. Bibliotheca hagiograpica latina antiquae et mediae aetatis (Brussels 1898–1901) 1:278. j. l. baudot and l. chaussin, Vies des saints et des bienhereux selon l'ordre du calendrier avec l'historique des fêtes (Paris 1935–56) 6:105. g. raspini, Bibliotheca sanctorum 1:781–782.
[j. e. lynch]