He renounced to his wealth and position of crown prince of Ferrara to become a simple "God's man" and started on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

In 1235, King Andrew II of Hungary names Contardo: "Milites Sancti Sepulcri" ( Knight of the Holy Sepulchre ), by virtue of the characteristics of the sub-feudation with the Kingdom of Jerusalem ; in feudalism it was common practice for the rulers to confer the title of knight on their best men.

He fell ill in Broni (Province of Pavia, Lombardy, Italy) and died there.

[1][2][3] The body was later transferred to the Saint Peter parish church (which later became a Minor basilica) in Broni.

His cult was approved in 1609 by Pope Paul V (papacy 1605–1621) on the request of Claudio Rangoni, bishop of Piacenza (1596–1619[4]), native of Modena,[5] and indulgences were linked to it by Pope Urban VIII (papacy 1623–1644) [2][6] He is patron to : He is co-patron of :