BL. FALCO, HERMIT - 9 AUGUST

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN AUGUST

Saints celebrated on the 9th of August

Prayer to the Angels and the Saints

Heavenly Father, in praising Your Angels and Saints we praise Your glory, for by honouring them we honour You, their Creator. Their splendour shows us Your greatness, which infinitely surpasses that of all creation.

In Your loving providence, You saw fit to send Your Angels to watch over us. Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven.

Heavenly Father, You are glorified in Your Saints, for their glory is the crowning of Your gifts. You provide an example for us by their lives on earth, You give us their friendship by our communion with them, You grant us strength and protection through their prayer for the Church, and You spur us on to victory over evil and the prize of eternal glory by this great company of witnesses.

Grant that we who aspire to take part in their joy may be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that, after sharing their faith on earth, we may also experience their peace in heaven. Amen.

BL. FALCO, HERMIT 

Blessed Falco (Falcus) lived during the 14th century. He was born in Calabria, from an ancient and noble family.

HE WAS ATTRACTED TO THE HERMIT LIFE

From a very young age he was attracted to loneliness and the hermit life. He retired to the monastery of Pesica near his home town, under the discipline of a holy abbot named Hilarion. The community was already known throughout Calabria for the virtue and sanctity of all the friars that formed it.

PRAYER AND RECITAL OF PSALMS

Their conversation consisted of praying and reciting the psalms. When the holy abbot died, they chose the youngest, Nicholas the Greek, as their superior. To thank God they went on a pilgrimage to Rome. When, years later, Nicholas died, they were not able to choose a new abbot, and each went their own way. 

HE REMAINED A MOST HUMBLE FRIAR

Falco decided to return to Rome, and when he reached Palena, he climbed the Coccia mountain. He  continued his life of rigours and prayer. Out of humility he never wanted to be a priest, and he remained a most humble friar, an example of virtue. He died in this place. His relics rest in the church of San Antonio Martyr in Palena. He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII.