Himerius of Cremona

Himerius (Imier, Imerio) of Cremona (d. June 17, c. 560), also known as Himerius of Amelia or Irnerius, was an Italian bishop. He is venerated as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church and Christian communities of Western Rite Orthodoxy.

Life

A native of Calabria, Himerius was a hermit. He then became a monk, probably in the monastery of San Giuliano in Monteluco near Spoleto or in the monastery of San Pietro in Valle in the Valnerina Valley near Terni before being elected bishop of Amelia. He is described as having been an extremely austere, ascetic person.

Veneration Himerius' name does not appear in the ancient martyrologies. However, his name appears in the Roman Martyrology.

An abbot named Ambrose (Ambrogio), who lived around the twelfth century, wrote a Vita of Himerius, but only its prologue remains. A later bishop of Amelia, Antonio Maria Graziani (1592–1611), also wrote a biography of the saint.

Around 965, Himerius' relics were moved from Amelia to Cremona by Liutprand (Liutprando, Luizo), bishop of Cremona from 962 to 972. They were interred in a church that was later destroyed in the earthquake of 1117. Rediscovered in 1129, they were placed in a sepulcher.