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Urban II
11th century pope and initiator of the Crusades
Feast: 29 July (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
Otho of Lagery studied under St Bruno at Reims, became a monk of Cluny under St Hugh, and was sent to help Gregory VII reform the Church; he became Cardinal Bishop of Ostia and the pope's chief helper.
Elected pope in 1088, he carried on the reform in hard times and called the First Crusade at Clermont. He died on 29 July 1099, just after Jerusalem fell but before the news reached him.
The miracles
He was honoured as a saint in many martyrologies from the time of his death. The Catholic Encyclopedia does not describe the miracles approved in the cause.
Why that counted as sanctity
A monk-pope who carried on the reform of the Church.
The cause
The cause continues. No postulation address is published here yet. Favours received through this person’s intercession, and offers of help, are best sent to the religious order or congregation they belonged to, or to the diocese where the cause was opened; either will pass them to the postulation.
Connected on this site
- Bruno of Cologne Saint Teacher“He was a celebrated teacher at Reims and a close advisor of his former pupil, Pope Urban II.” — Wikipedia
- Gregory VII Saint“Otho of Lagery studied under St Bruno at Reims, became a monk of Cluny under St Hugh, and was sent to help Gregory VII reform the Church; he became Cardinal Bishop of Ostia and the pope's chief helper.” — this site's research
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - Pope Blessed Urban II
- Wikidata Q30578 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Pope Urban II (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.