Diego de Acebo facts for kids
Diego de Acebo was an important church leader, known as the bishop of Osma in Castile, Spain. He served in this role from 1201 to 1207. He was also called Diaz de Osma, Alphonsus Didacus, or Didacus Acebes.
Becoming a Bishop
Diego de Acebo started as a leader at the main church in El Burgo de Osma. This was the Catedral de Santa María de la Asunción. Here, Saint Dominic, a very famous saint, also became a priest. In 1201, Diego was chosen to be the Bishop of Osma. As bishop, he made changes to how the priests lived and worked. He wanted them to follow the Rule of St. Augustine, which was a set of rules for religious communities.
Journeys with Saint Dominic
In 1203 or 1204, Bishop Diego went on an important trip. He traveled to Denmark with Saint Dominic. Their mission was to find a bride for Prince Ferdinand, the son of King Alfonso VIII of Castile.
They made a second trip in 1204 or 1205. They planned to bring the princess back to Spain. However, they learned that she had sadly passed away.
A New Mission
After their journeys, Diego and Dominic traveled through Rome. There, Bishop Diego asked Pope Innocent III for a special job. He wanted to go and teach people in northern lands about Christianity. The Pope did not give him that specific mission.
Instead, they continued their journey through Cîteaux, France. Here, Diego and Dominic began a new important task. They started working to convert the Cathars. The Cathars were a group of people in southern France who had different religious beliefs.
Leading a Papal Mission
In 1206, Bishop de Acebo became an unofficial leader. He led a special mission from the Pope to Languedoc. This region is in southern France.
Diego played a key role in starting a place called Prouille. He also took part in important discussions. These were debates between Catholics and Cathars. They happened in towns like Verfeil and Montréal.
In 1207, he joined a religious meeting in Pamiers. Durand of Huesca and other Waldenses were also there. The Waldenses were another group with different beliefs. This meeting helped Durand and his group return to the Catholic Church. Soon after, the Pope asked Bishop Acebo to go back to his own area. He passed away there on December 30, 1207.
