ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN DECEMBER
Saints celebrated on the 29th of December
BLESSED GERARD CAGNOLI, HERMIT
Gerard (Gerardus, Geraldus), from Valenza in Piedmont (on the river Po), descended from the noble Cagnoli family. In his youth he looked after his sick mother as a good son. When she had died, Gerard put on the hermit's garb and after several pilgrimages, he lived as a hermit near Mount Etna in Sicily.
In his 40th year he entered the Order of Saint Francis of Assisi. Gerard was very strict with himself, and his extraordinary severity against the flesh was made even more extreme by fasting and mortification of every kind. On the other hand, he and his fellow brothers were indescribably mild and gentle. Gerard possessed the gift of miracles. Before his end he was honoured by an apparition of the Blessed Virgin. His holy death took place in Palermo on November 29, 1343. (Hub. Men.)
(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 2, Augsburg, 1861, p. 402)
Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations
PRAYER:
Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Blessed Gerard 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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