James of Certaldo, Bl.
JAMES OF CERTALDO, BL.
Camaldolese monk and parish priest; b. Certaldo, near Florence, Italy; d. Apr. 13, 1292. James (Giacomo) Guidi was the son of a knight of Volterra. He became a camaldolese in 1230 at the Abbey of San Giusto at Volterra, where his relics still remain. Having twice refused to accept the office of abbot, James reluctantly acquiesced on a third occasion, but shortly thereafter he resigned this office to return to his work as parish priest at the monastery church. He served in this capacity for 40 years with a reputation as a great pastor of souls. His father and two brothers became lay brothers at San Giusto.
Feast: Apr. 13.
Bibliography: Acta Sanctorum Apr. 2:153–156. a. m. zimmermann, Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, 10 v. (2d, new ed. Freiburg 1957–65) 5:838 Kalendarium Benedictinum: Die Heiligen und Seligen des Benediktinerorderns und seiner Zweige 2:50, 52.
[k. j. egan]