Calogerus the Anchorite

This article is about Calogerus the Anchorite, also known as Calogerus of Sicily. For Roman martyr, see Calocerus. For other saints, see Calogero § Feast days.

Calogeros the Anchorite (Ancient Greek: Καλόγερος ὁ Αναχωρητής, romanized: Kalogeros ho Anakhorētēs, Kalogeros o Anakhoritis, Latin: Calogerus or Calocerus, Sicilian: Calòjiru and Caloriu, Italian: Calogero, also known as Calogerus the Hermit and Calogerus of Sicily, Chalcedon c. 466 – 18 June, 561, Monte Kronio) was a hermetical monk, venerated as a saint by the Catholic and Orthodox churches, and the patron of many places in Sicily.

Veneration

Calogerus
Icon of Saint Calogerus from the grotto above Mount Kronio, dated 1545
Calogerus the Anchorite, Calogerus the Hermit, Calogerus of Sicily, San Calogero
Born	c. 466 Chalcedonia
Residence	Monte Kronio
Died	561 Sciacca
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church
Major shrine	Sanctuary of San Calogero, Agrigento, Sicily
Feast	18 June
Attributes	Hermit, Basilian abbot
Patronage	Naro, Campofranco, Petralia Sottana, and San Salvatore di Fitali in Sicily
Tradition or genre	Hermetical, Basilian

Calogerus is commemorated by the Orthodox Church on June 18, together with the bishop Gregorius and the deacon Demetrius. The three saints are noted as opponents of Arianism who fled from Africa to Sicily to escape persecution. They were active in the area of Fragalata, near Messina. Calogerus is commemorated on the same day in the Catholic Church. Calogerus is also held to have worked as a missionary on Lipari in the Aeolian Islands, before retiring to live as a hermit on Monte Kronio, which is now sometimes called in Sicilian: Monte San Caluòru (Italian: Monte San Calogero) in his honor, as is another mountain near Palermo.

Saint Calogerus is venerated at Agrigento more than Saint Gerland, who is the patron of Agrigento. Other centres in which Saint Calogero is particularly venerated are Porto Empedocle, Naro, Sciacca, Frazzanó, San Salvatore di Fitalia, Cesaró, Petralia Sottana and Campofranco. In iconography, he is usually identifiable as a bearded hermit with olive complexion wearing eastern (Syriac) hooded vestments.

See also

• Caloyers – Greek monks who followed the rule of Saint Basi
• Calogero – Italian given, family and place name