St Peter Damian was known for his very blunt and vehement ways of telling men about their wrong doings. He did so in order to preach them back to the path of righteousness, and this pattern of preaching was one similarity he had with John the baptist.
He was an orphan at a very young age from Ravenna. He was sent to live with his brother where he was badly maltreated. He was sent to work at the swine where he met a charitable Lad named Damian. Damian sent peter to school at Faenza before he went to Parma. Singly because of this act of kindness peter decided to take Damian’s name as his last name. After his studies he became a fierce voluminous writer that wrote on very important topics. He also was a cheerful giver and always ate with the poor.
He learnt the monastic way of life from St. Benedict and St. Romuald, after which he joined their hermitage where he spent most of his time praying and reading. After a while at this camp, he was appointed to head the government of the community after the death of the superior. He started working there after he was compelled by the Abbot and worked there till the Abbot died in 1043.
He founded 5 hermitages, and taught his followers solitude, charity and humility. Some of his followers are St. Dominic Loricatus and his successor St. John of Lodi.
In 1057, he quit his hermit camp at the persuasion of Pope Stephen IX and became the cardinal bishop of Ostia. In his new office he was known to rebuke bishops and gave penances to them. He also fought the act of buying and selling of penance back in the day. Being an amazing writer that he was, he wrote on the obligation of monks. He also settled disputes between very important people.
He died on the 10th of February 1072 on his way back from his last job. St. Peter Damian was declared doctor of the Church in 1828. His feast day is today, 21st day in the month of February.
Other saints of the day are Saints Severian, Avitus II of Clermont, Felix of Metz, Gunderbert, Paterius, Valerius, Verulus and companions, Peter the scribe, and blessed Pepin of Landen.
