Today the Holy Church celebrates the life of St. Ubadlus, Bishop of Gubio and Confessor. Born to noble parents, St. Ubaldus lived a pious childhood. After his father died while Ubadlus was still quite young, the boy became a canon regular for the local Cathedral.
He felt a vocation to become a monk, and entered to the Monastery of St. Secondo in the same city, where he remained for some years. Recalled by his bishop, he returned to the cathedral monastery, where he was made prior. Having heard that at Vienna Blessed Peter de Honestis some years before had established a very fervent community of canons regular, to whom he had given special statutes which had been approved by Paschal II, Ubald went there, remaining with his brother canons for three months, to learn the details and the practice of their rules, wishing to introduce them among his own canons of Gubbio.
After being consecrated Bishop of Gubio by Pope Honorius II, he returned to his people and became a perfect pattern of all Christian virtues and a powerful protector in all their spiritual and temporal needs. It is said that St. Ubaldus helped prevent Frederick Barbarossa from sacking Gubio when the bishop went out on the road to plead with Frederick.
He died of natural causes after a long and painful two year illness in 1160.
At the solicitation of Bishop Bentivoglio, Pope Celestine III canonized him in 1192. His power, as we read in the Office for his feast, is chiefly manifested over the evil spirits, and the faithful are instructed to have recourse to him "contra omnes diabolicas inequities".
The power St. Ubaldus possessed against evil spirits was evident. The Church moves in a spirit world--good angels are all about, while constant vigilance is exercised against Satan and his devils. The liturgy contains a considerable number of exorcisms and adjurations. Then there are a series of sacramentals directed against the power of evil spirits; for example, holy water, palms, candles. Hold these sacramentals in highest esteem. — Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius ParschSimilarly, Dom Gueranger writes in the Liturgical Year:
In order to honour her eternal High Priest, the Church presents to him this day the merits of a pontiff who, after his mortal career, was admitted into a happy immortality. Ubaldus, here on earth, was the image of our Lord Jesus Christ. Like his divine Master, he received the holy anointing of priesthood; he was a mediator between God and man; he was the shepherd of a flock; and now he is united with our Risen Jesus, the great Anointed, the Mediator, the Shepherd. In proof of his influence in heaven, Ubaldus has had given to him a special power against the wicked spirits who lay snares for our perdition. It has frequently happened that the simple invocation of his name has sufficed to foil their machinations. The Church has fixed this day as his feast with the view of encouraging the faithful to have recourse to his protection.Collect:
Help us, O Lord, and stretch out Your right hand in compassion to save us from the wickedness of the devil, through the intercession of Your blessed confessor bishop Ubaldus. Through Our Lord . .
Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal
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