BL. PAUL BURALI D'AREZZO, BISHOP OF NAPLES

BL. PAUL BURALI D'AREZZO, BISHOP OF NAPLES - 17 JUNE

BLESSED PAUL BURALI D'AREZZO, BISHOP OF NAPLES

B. Paulus, Ep. Conf.

In 1511, Blessed Paul (Paulus)(Paolo Burali d'Arezzo) was born of the old family Burali d'Arezzo in Itri, a small town in the Neapolitan area. He studied law and obtained his doctorate in Bologna. For ten years he was a lawyer in Naples, and then, at the age of thirty-seven, returned to Itri to pursue his own sanctification in quiet seclusion. His vita does not explain the reasons for his drastic change of life at this point (apart from divine grace). Anyway, soon afterwards he had to return to Naples as the king's adviser. However, his mind constantly turned inward, he then entered the Theatine Order and took his vows on February 2, 1558.

Once he was ordained a priest, Paul devoted himself with all possible zeal to the sacred functions. He was elected superior of the house of Saint Paul in Naples. After repeated prompting, he also intervened for the rights and freedoms of the city of Naples at the Spanish court.

On his return he went to Rome as Superior of the Order, where Pope Pius V consulted him on various matters.

This Vicar of Christ, anxious to give the Church zealous pastors, appointed him bishop of Piacenza. Paul tried to politely decline the new position, but the pope positively ordered him to accept it.

Paul's excellent pastoral qualities soon earned him the veneration and trust of all his charges. Pius V thereupon elevated him to the cardinalate.

At Piacenza, Paul founded several institutions, including two houses, one for orphans, the other for penitent girls and women.

In two synods he held he gave ordinances which will be an everlasting monument of his zeal for church discipline. Gregory XIII transferred him, notwithstanding all his objections, from the episcopal see of Piacenza to that of Naples. Here, too, he stopped the abuses that had crept in with tireless energy and moreover very much focused his attention on the conversion of Jews, heretics and Mohammedans.

After a blessed ministry he died on June 17, 1578 at the age of 67. At his own request, he was buried at the church of the Theatines near Saint Paul (San Paolo Maggiore). The high respect that Paul had enjoyed from personages such as Pope Pius V, Charles Borromeo, Philip Neri, Saint Andrew Avellino and Blessed Marino, certainly suggest the virtues he possessed. Innocent XII had his canonisation process initiated. It was, however, not completed until Clement XIV's time (May 13, 1772). The Theatines celebrate his festival on June 17 (But. VIII. 232-236).

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 4, Augsburg, 1875)

Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of the blessed Paul 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.

Sources of these articles (in the original German): books.google.co.uk, de-academic.com, zeno.org, openlibrary.org

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