Biography
Known in his youth for being meticulous about his clothing and appearance - until the day he realized it was simply vanity and traded his fine clothes for a beggar's rags. Pilgrim to Rome, Italy. Spiritual student for three years of a hermit name Martin on an island in the River Po. Monk at Pomposa abbey near Ferrera, Italy. Benedictine monk at Saint Severus abbey, Ravenna, Italy. Abbot at Ravenna. Abbot at Pomposa. A student of scripture, at the request of Saint Peter Damian he taught Bible studies for two years. So many were attracted to his teaching, his leadership, and his example of the Christian life that his house doubled in size; his father and brother joined the order. Guy finally handed off the administrative elements of his position to concentrate on spiritual direction. He periodically retreated to a hermitage near Ferrara to spend his days in prayer and fasting. Near the end of his life he was unjustly persecuted for personal reasons by archbishop Heribert of Ravenna. Died while on a trip to Piacenza, Italy to advise Emperor Henry III on spiritual matters. Born: at Ravenna, Italy Died: • 1046 at Borgo San Donnino, Italy of natural causes • interred in the church of Saint John the Evangelist, Speyer, Germany, which was renamed Saint Guido-Stift