Saint Olegarius (Oligarius) (Template:Lang-es, Template:Lang-ca) (1060—March 6, 1137) was a bishop of Barcelona and archbishop of Tarragona. Born Olegarius Bonestruga of a noble family of Barcelona, his father was a follower of Ramon Berenguer I, Count of Barcelona. Olegarius’ mother, Guilia, descended from the Visigothic nobility. At the age of ten, Olegarius entered the guild of canon priests at the Cathedral of Barcelona. He later served as superior of the canonries of Barcelona, Sant Adrià de Besós (1095-1108), and Sant Ruf d'Avinyo.
Saint Olegarius | |
|---|---|
 Sepulcher of Saint Olegarius, side chapel of Christ of Lepanto, Cathedral of Barcelona. | |
| Born | 1060 Barcelona |
| Died | March 6, 1137 |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Canonized | 1675 |
| Major shrine | side chapel of Christ of Lepanto, Cathedral of Barcelona |
| Feast | March 6 |
Raymond Berenguer III named him bishop of Barcelona in 1116, and Olegarius was consecrated by Cardinal Bosón in the cathedral of Maguelone in Provence, during the pontificate of Paschal II. In 1117, he went to Rome to pay homage to Pope Gelasius II.
When Tarragona was conquered from the Moors, he was appointed archbishop of Tarragona (he remained bishop of Barcelona), and he also received ecclestiastical administrative rights over the projected diocese of Tortosa (which had not yet been conquered). He was a close counselor to Ramon Berenguer III and Ramon Berenguer IV, but unfortunately had an antagonistic relationship with the count of Tarragona, Robert d'Aguiló.
He played an important role in December 1134 when, at Zaragoza, he brokered a peace agreement between Ramiro II of Aragon and Alfonso VII of Castile. He also negotiated the marriage alliances between Dolça de Provença and Ramon Berenguer III and of Petronila of Aragon to Ramon Berenguer IV.
He was present at the Councils of Toulouse, Rheims, and the First Lateran Council. Olegarius was sent by Innocent II to the Council of Clermont, where he met Saint Bernard and Saint Bonaventure. Olegarius’ arguments there led to excommunication of the antipope Anacletus II.