pacificus' life between the ninth and twelfth centuries

Pacificus, an archdeacon of Verona, lived probably between the end of the eighth and the first half of the ninth century, when the city of Verona was starting its career as one of the main centres of Carolingian patronage in northern Italy. He – together with the local clergy of the schola sacerdotum Veronensis ecclesiae – probably supported the revolt against Louis the Pious organized by Bernard, Pippin's son, in 817. As a political opponent of Louis the Pious and his ally Ratholdus, the bishop of Verona, Pacificus was probably exiled to the monastery of Nonantola (in the province of Modena) where he died. During his exile Pacificus did try at least once to regain his lost prestige within the schola sacerdotum Veronensis ecclesiae but apparently without success. His existence is proved by one autograph signature to a private document in 809 and perhaps a second to a similar document of 814, now disappeared.

Pacificus' story is therefore not very different from that of other priests, monks and bishops who tried unsuccessfully to voice their dissent from the Carolingian establishment.