St. Peter Damian dedicated his life to the purification of the Church and to the defence of the papacy. He was born the youngest of a large, poor family in Ravenna, Italy, in 1007. Orphaned at a young age, he did remarkably well in his studies and, at 25, was a famous teacher at Parma and Ravenna.Unable to endure the scandals and distractions of university life, he decided to join a hermitage. He became known for his fervent faith and, in 1043, he became prior until his death.Although living in a cloister, Peter watched the Church closely and strove for her purification. He would write to...