John was born at
Matera to a family of nobles. As a young man he moved to
Taranto where he asked for hospitality and work from the
Basilian monks of the
Island of San Pietro. There he worked as a shepherd. Due to some misunderstandings with the monks, he left the islet and went to
Calabria and then to
Sicily, continuing to live a life of penance and renunciation. He remained there for two years before moving to
Apulia, where he stayed with relatives. He founded a small monastic community in
Ginosa, After meeting and spending some time with the hermit
William of Vercelli at Bagnoli, he decided to go to Palestine. Around 1127 while passing through Bari, he realised that his mission had to take place there. He was rescued from prison by
Grimoald, Prince of Bari, who ordered him to give an account of his theology to prove his orthodoxy. He preached under Grimoald in
Bari. He is remembered on 20 June and is portrayed as an abbot driving the devil away with a rod. ==References==