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Also known as: Adalfere;
Adalfericus; Alfere; Alferius of La Cava; Alpherius
Profile
Member of the noble Pappacarbone family. Ambassador for Duke Gisulf of
Salerno. When he fell seriously ill at the abbey of Chiusa, Italy, he made
the common promise to God that if he lived, he would enter religious life.
When he recovered, he became a monk at Cluny, training under Saint Odilio.
Duke Gisulf recalled him to Salerno to reform the monasteries in his
region.
Alferius met with little success, and in 1011 he became a hermit on Mount
Fenestra near Salerno. His reputation for holiness and wisdom spread, and
he attracted students. He selected twelve, and founded the Benedictine
abbey Holy Trinity of La Cava under the Cluniac rule. The abbey became the
motherhouse for scores of others in the region; this network of houses
became a powerful force for civilization and religion in Sicily and
southern Italy, and twelve of the motherhouse abbots have been beatified
to date. Lived to be 120, governing the abbey till the day he died; on
that day, he celebrated Mass, and washed the feet of his brothers,
including the future Pope Victor III.
Born: 930 at Salerno, Italy
Died: Holy Thursday 1050
Beatified: 1893 (cultus confirmed)
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