Saints celebrated on the 13th of May
BLESSED GERARD OF VILLAMAGNA, HERMIT
Blessed Gerard (Gerardus) was a hermit in Villamagna near Florence, where he enjoys a strong cult even today. Born around the year 1147 of poor country folks, the plague robbed him of his parents and a rich patrician family from Florence took him into their house. When he grew up, he accompanied his guardian on his trip to Jerusalem, was taken prisoner by the Saracens, and after both had suffered much, they were finally ransomed and returned home.
Afterwards, Gerard undertook further pilgrimages to the Holy Land and finally entered the Third Order of St Francis. From then on until his death, he served God continually, nursing the sick and supporting the poor with the alms he received. He followed a daily prayer schedule and never cut corners, so that he often prayed through the night because he had not been able to get through all the prayers during the day due to his works of charity. He had the habit of visiting all the surrounding churches and chapels on a regular basis. He visited at least three of them every day. He offered the first visitation to the poor souls, the second for himself, the third for all people, believers and unbelievers. His daily diet consisted of bread and herbs; sometimes he also consumed some vegetables. Even during his lifetime he shone with miracles: he provided a sick woman with fresh cherries in the middle of winter. He predicted to a carter who did not want to break the habit of swearing that he would drown in the river Arno of he did not stop using foul language. The man laughed at the prophecy and cursed even more violently. Suddenly, on the bridge over the Arno, the beasts of burden were afraid and fell headlong into the Arno. They were rescued, but the teamster was pulled out of the water, dead. Gerard also warned a woman who was coming out of church to turn back and confess properly. In fact, she had a sin on her conscience that she had kept quiet for ten years out of false shame. She repented and became sincerely converted.
Gerard died after a reverent reception of the Holy Sacrament on the day he had predicted beforehand as the day of his death, May 13th. The year of his death is variously recorded as 1277 (Wadding*), 1242 (Bosius*), 1245 (Bollandists*).
During the 16th century his body was found to be almost incorrupt; it looked like that of someone who had just died. The skin on the whole body was fresh but dry, the left cheek was completely intact, the right was slightly damaged, the hands and feet were fully intact, and he had but few hairs and teeth. He rests in a gilded wooden coffin, which is enclosed in another of stone, under the altar of the chapel built in his honour. Some calendars list his feast on June 8, others May 13. In Hub. Men.* Gerard features on December 3. The Bollandists* list him on May 13.
Source: Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 2, Augsburg, 1861, pp. 397-98 - 🎨 Gerard of Villamagna, Bicci di Lorenzo (15th cent.)
*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 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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