Blessed Pope Eugene III

Also known as

• Peter dei Paganelli di Montemagno
• Bernard of Pisa
• Bernardo Pignatelli

Memorial

• 8 July

Profile

Prominent Cistercian monk. Friend of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux. Abbot of the monastery of Tre Fontaine. Elected pope unanimously on day of his predecessor’s funeral; the cardinals wanted a quick election to prevent the interference of secular authorities. Promoted the disastrous Second Crusade. In 1146, the agitation of Arnold of Brescia and the republicans drove the pope from Rome. While in exile from 1146 to 1149 and again from 1150 to 1152, Eugene worked to reform clerical discipline.

Born

• at Montemagno, Pisa, Italy as Peter dei Paganelli di Montemagno

Papal Ascension

• 15 February 1145

Died

• 8 July 1151 at Tivoli, Italy of natural causes

Beatified

• 28 December 1872 by Pope Pius IX (cultus confirmed)

Additional Information

• Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
• Catholic Encyclopedia
• New Catholic Dictionary
• Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints

MLA Citation

• “Blessed Pope Eugene III“. Saints.SQPN.com. 18 January 2013. Web. 20 May 2013. <>