{{Short description|Umbrian bishop and saint (died 537)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox saint |name= Saint Fortunatus of Todi |birth_date= |death_date=537 |feast_day= 14 October |venerated_in= [[Roman Catholic Church]] |image=San Fortunato di Todi.jpg |imagesize= |caption= |birth_place= |death_place= |titles= |beatified_date= |beatified_place= |beatified_by= |canonized_date= |canonized_place= |canonized_by= |attributes= |patronage=Todi |major_shrine= [[San Fortunato, Todi]] |suppressed_date= |issues= }} '''Saint Fortunatus''' (died 537) was a 6th-century [[bishop of Todi]].<ref>{{citation|title=St. Fortunatus of Todi|url=http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=3429|accessdate=2012-11-04|archive-date=2012-10-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022035323/http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=3429|url-status=live}}</ref> According to tradition, he defended [[Todi]] during a [[Gothic Wars (6th century)|Gothic]] siege.<ref>{{citation|title=Latin Saints of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Rome|url=http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/saintsf.htm|accessdate=2012-11-04|archive-date=2012-11-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110111431/http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/saintsf.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> He is the [[patron saint]] of Todi.
==Life== Fortunatus came to Italy from [[Poitiers]] as a hermit. Because of his miracles and ability to cast out demons, in 528, he was urged by the clergy and the people to become bishop. His predecessor, Callistus (c. 502-28), had been killed by the Goths. The first cathedral was the [[San Carlo, Todi|church of Sant'Ilario]].<ref name=Schäfer>{{Cite web |url=https://www.heiligenlexikon.de/BiographienF/Fortunat_von_Todi.html |title=Schäfer, Joachim "Fortunatus of Todi", ''Ecumenical Encyclopedia of Saints'' |access-date=2023-07-31 |archive-date=2023-07-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230731050213/https://www.heiligenlexikon.de/BiographienF/Fortunat_von_Todi.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
Fortunatus saved the city from being sacked by the Ostrogoths. He converted many and destroyed a temple to the god Pan, and used the materials to build a church.<ref>[https://www.katolsk.no/biografier/historisk/fortutodi Odden, Per Einer. "Den hellige Fortunatus av Todi (d. 537)", Den katolske kirke, 28 December 2015]</ref> Fortunatus consecrated the [[San Fortunato, Todi|church of San Fortunato]], where his bones are preserved. A Benedictine monastery was attached to it in the 11th century. The altars to Fortunatus and Cassianus of Imola were consecrated by Pope Innocent III in 1198.<ref name=Schäfer/>
Fortunatus was praised by Pope [[Gregory the Great]], who called him a man of great virtue who took great care in attending to the sick.<ref>{{citation|title=San Fortunato di Todi|url=http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/74145|language=Italian|trans-title=Saint Fortunato of Todi|accessdate=2012-11-04|archive-date=2012-10-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013233158/http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/74145|url-status=live}}</ref> Gregory, born around the time Fortunatus died, was greatly interested in Fortunatus' life. Gregory writes, "A certain poor old man was brought to me –because I always love to talk with such men- of whom I inquired his country, and hearing that he was of the city of Todi, I asked him whether he had known Bishop Fortunatus. He said he knew him very well. 'Then I beseech you,' said I, 'tell me whether you know of any miracles that he did, and, since I am very desirous to know, explained to me what manner of man he was.'"<ref>{{citation|last=Dudden|first=Frederick|title=Gregory the Great|year=1905|publisher=Longmans Green|volume=2|location=London|oclc=914226|authorlink=Frederick Homes Dudden|page=339}}</ref>
==Veneration== The [[San Fortunato, Todi|church of ''San Fortunato'' in Todi]] is dedicated to the saint and holds his relics. The first building was as a [[Palaeo-Christian]] temple of the 7th century. In 1292, the Franciscans began a new Gothic edifice with a "hall" structure. The crypt houses a [[Sepulchre|sepulcher]] containing the relics of Fortunatus and other saints, as well as the tomb of [[Jacopone da Todi]].
<gallery> Image:Todi 3.JPG|Church of San Fortunato, interior Image:Todi 2.JPG|Church of San Fortunato, facade </gallery>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Bishops in Umbria]] [[Category:6th-century Italian bishops]] [[Category:6th-century Christian saints]] [[Category:537 deaths]] [[Category:Medieval Italian saints]] [[Category:Year of birth unknown]]