Blessed Bartholomew of Vicenza
By Jean M. Heimann On October 27 we commemorate the feast of Blessed Bartholomew of Vicenza (1201-1270). He was a Dominican priest who used his skills as a preacher to combat the heresies of his day. Blessed Bartholomew was born at Vicenza, Italy Vicenza in Northern Italy, and belonged to the noble family of Breganza. He became a Dominican priest at the age of twenty and received the habit from St. Dominic's own hands. He was a very virtuous man and within a short time, he became prior of the monastery, effectively overseeing several monasteries with great wisdom and fruitfulness. Seven years later, he became Master of the Sacred Palace, an office which had been first held by Saint Dominic himself. It was during this period that Blessed Bartholomew composed his scholarly commentary on the work of Saint Denis, entitled "From the Heavenly Hierarchy.” In 1246, Pope Innocent IV appointed Blessed Bartholomew as Bishop of Cyprus, where he served for two years. He was ...