Agnellus of Naples

Saint Agnellus (in Italian Agnello) was bishop of Naples from 672 or 673 until his death, in 693 or 694. He is commemorated on 9 January. Our sources call him a saint of the Roman Catholic Church and show no formal Orthodox veneration.

Life

The chief source is the first part of the "Deeds of the Bishops of Naples", written at the end of the eighth or the beginning of the ninth century by an anonymous author. Of his origin and youth nothing is known. He took the episcopal see after Saint Adeodatus, who died in 671 or 672; he may have been enthroned in 672 or 673. In March 680 he took part in the council gathered at Rome by Pope Agatho. In March 685 Vesuvius erupted and the surroundings of Naples suffered much, but the city itself had no great damage. Church tradition attributed this "wonderful deliverance" to the intercession of Saint Januarius. From then the veneration of that saint spread quickly in the city and he became the chief protector of Naples; probably the first images of Saint Januarius on the seals of the Neapolitan bishops and on coins struck there are linked to these events.

At Agnellus's order the church of Saint Januarius was built at Naples, beside which a monastic community (a diaconia) was formed, which the bishop endowed with what was needed, and a shelter for the poor was arranged. The "Deeds" mention that he ordered that twice a year (at Christmas and Easter) soap be given to the members of this community "for the labour of keeping cleanliness". It is also said that Bishop Agnellus saved Naples from being taken by the Saracens. He was bishop twenty-⁠one years and fifteen days. His successor was Saint Julian. Soon after death he was venerated by the Neapolitans as a saint, as is shown by his name in the martyrology of the "Marble Calendar" of the ninth century, whose author used older church sources.