Skip to main content

BLESSED HERCULANUS OF PLEGALI - 28 MAY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY

Saints celebrated on the 28th of May

BLESSED HERCULANUS OF PLEGALI


Blessed Herculanus of Plegali (or a Piegula, as he is called in Hub. Men.*) was born in Pieve Pelago, formerly called Piegao. A Franciscan friar of the Observance, he lived in the first half of the 15th century. 

He was a very zealous and earnest preacher of repentance. When he spoke of the suffering of Christ, it often happened that his listeners broke into loud sobs. He also had a great influence on political matters, especially in Lucca, as can be seen from the history of his life; he used it to urge the people to turn around their lives and to improve morals. 

That he not only exhorted others, but also  practised what he preached, he proved by the strict penitential exercises which he imposed on himself. Often he ate nothing the whole week, only on Sundays he enjoyed some bread and vegetables; to his nightly practice of watching and praying he added outward penance.

He died at the convent at Carfagnana in 1451. He is probably the same one who is also mentioned in Migne's* appendix as St-Herculan, and in whose name there is a church at Castelnuovo in Modenese.

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 2, Augsburg, 1861)

*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 Herculanus 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