Roman Catholic Saint. Born to a noble family, Olegario Bonestruga joined the canons of the cathedral of his native Barcelona at the tender age of ten, and serving as provost of the canonries of Barcelona and Sant Adrià de Besós, he went on to be appointed abbot of the French Augustinian monastery of Saint Rufus in Avignon. Named bishop of Barcelona by the city's count, Ramon Berenguer III in 1116, he received his episcopal consecration from Cardinal Boso of Sant'Anastasia in the cathedral of Maguelone in Provence. Often present at papal synods, he acted as legate 'a latere' over the Crusade in New Catalonia - the present day province of Tarragona - and successively overseeing the restoration of the church in district, was named archbishop Tarragona following the city's reconquest, retaining his office of the see of Barcelona. A close advisor to both Ramon Berenguer III and his son, Ramon Berenguer IV, Olegarius is said to have gone on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land around the year 1124. Particularly active in the years that followed in the reconstruction of the city of Tarragona, especially of its churches, he established the Knights Templar in Catalonia in the year 1134. Returning back to Barcelona, he ended his days there. Canonized on May 25, 1675 by Pope Clement X, his liturgical feast day is held on March 6. His magnificent Baroque sarcophagus inside the cathedral Barcelona was made by sculptors Francesc Grau and Domènec Rovira II.
Roman Catholic Saint. Born to a noble family, Olegario Bonestruga joined the canons of the cathedral of his native Barcelona at the tender age of ten, and serving as provost of the canonries of Barcelona and Sant Adrià de Besós, he went on to be appointed abbot of the French Augustinian monastery of Saint Rufus in Avignon. Named bishop of Barcelona by the city's count, Ramon Berenguer III in 1116, he received his episcopal consecration from Cardinal Boso of Sant'Anastasia in the cathedral of Maguelone in Provence. Often present at papal synods, he acted as legate 'a latere' over the Crusade in New Catalonia - the present day province of Tarragona - and successively overseeing the restoration of the church in district, was named archbishop Tarragona following the city's reconquest, retaining his office of the see of Barcelona. A close advisor to both Ramon Berenguer III and his son, Ramon Berenguer IV, Olegarius is said to have gone on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land around the year 1124. Particularly active in the years that followed in the reconstruction of the city of Tarragona, especially of its churches, he established the Knights Templar in Catalonia in the year 1134. Returning back to Barcelona, he ended his days there. Canonized on May 25, 1675 by Pope Clement X, his liturgical feast day is held on March 6. His magnificent Baroque sarcophagus inside the cathedral Barcelona was made by sculptors Francesc Grau and Domènec Rovira II.
Bio by: Eman Bonnici
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