Skip to main content

BLESSED GILES OF ASSISI, RELIGIOUS - 23 APRIL

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN APRIL

Saints celebrated on the 23rd of April

WELCOME!

BLESSED GILES OF ASSISI, RELIGIOUS

Blessed Giles (Aegidius), the third companion of St Francis, was born in Assisi, where he also lived in the greatest simplicity of heart and godliness. He soon (according to Bernard von Quintavalle and Peter Cathani) most humbly asked St Francis of Assisi to be included among the number of his disciples. On the same day they met a poor woman who was begging for help. St Francis  then said to Giles: "Give your coat to this poor lady," and the disciple happily obeyed his master's command. The next day Giles received the religious habit. This happened in the year 1209. 

Later he travelled to Compostella and, on his return to Rome, plied his trade. From there he made a journey to the Holy Land and sought to convert the Saracens. When he returned to Italy, he stayed first at Fabriano in the Marche of Ancona, and then at Rieti  Cardinal Tusculano. He was often in ecstasy, especially in the presence of Pope Gregory IX. He had the gift of divination and possessed an extraordinary mind, but was also frequently tempted by the devil. He died at Perugia (Perosa) in Umbria in 1272 (not 1262, as the Bollandist Papebroch* claims), and was buried there.

Immediately after his death his tomb became very famous by the public devotion of the people, and for some time Giles was venerated as a saint in the church of his Order; but this devotion gradually decreased with time, which may perhaps be due to the fact that his veneration had not yet been confirmed by the Holy See. His grave is still visited, however, and there is an altar on it, on which a solemn office is held on April 23. Papebroch* assigns to him the title "blessed" as the antiquity of public veneration of Giles is beyond all doubt.

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 1, Augsburg, 1858)

*A hagiography source used by the authors 

Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of the blessed Giles may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

WELCOME

  Please pick your saints: January - Saints by date  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10    11    12    13    14    15    16    17   18    19    20    21    22    23    24    25    26    27    28    29    30    31   February - Saints by date  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10    11    12    13    14    15    16    17 18    19    20    21    22    23    24    25    26    27    28    29 ...
Post a Comment
Read more

BL. LUKE KIRBY, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 30 MAY

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY Saints celebrated on the 30th of May WELCOME! BLESSED LUKE KIRBY, PRIEST AND MARTYR 16th century houses, painted by Auguste Mayer He was born in the bishopric of Durham, according to Raissius ; others say at Richmond, in Yorkshire. He was master of arts in one of our universities; but going abroad to Douay, in Flanders, was received into the English college there, 1576, and made priest in 1577; and the year following sent upon the mission. Where he had not been long before he again went abroad, and travelled to Rome, partly for devotion, and partly for further improvement in learning. Here he remained in the English college till 1580, when he returned into England, and was not long after apprehended: for I find by a printed diary of things transacted in the Tower of London from 1580 till 1585, that on the 5th of December, 1580, Luke Kirby, Thomas Cottam , and other priests, were brought to the Tower from other prisons; and that these two, on the 10th...
Post a Comment
Read more

BL. RICHARD NEWPORT, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 30 MAY

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY Saints celebrated on the 30th of May WELCOME! BLESSED RICHARD NEWPORT, PRIEST AND MARTYR Richard Newport, alias Smith , was born in Northamptonshire and performed his studies abroad, partly in the college of Rheims (if he be the Richard Smith whom I find in the Douay diary sent to Rome in 1586) and partly in that of Rome, where he was made priest. From thence he was sent upon the English mission, and behaved himself in such a manner as justly to acquire the character of a laborious missionary; being withal remarkably successful in bringing home many strayed sheep to the fold of Christ, to which his apostolical way of living did not a little contribute.  He was several times apprehended and cast into prison, and twice banished. His name occurs amongst those who were transported in 1606; at which time, we are told, he took that opportunity of making a pilgrimage to Rome, there to pour forth his prayers at the tombs of the apostles, in behalf of thi...
Post a Comment
Read more