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St
Lawrence of
Brindisi |
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Feast Day: July 21
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Also known as
- Julius Caesar Rossi; Laurence of Brindisi; Lorenzo da Brindisi
Profile - Son of Guglielmo de Rossi and Elisabetta Masella. He felt an early
call to religious life, and was educated by the Conventuals of Brindisi.
His
father
died when the
boy was twelve. Studied in
Venice. Joined the Capuchin Friars in
1575 at age 16, taking the name Brother Lorenzo. Studied
theology, the Bible,
French,
German,
Greek,
Spanish,
Syriac, and Hebrew at the University of
Padua; a brilliant student known for his facility with languages.
Priest.
Taught
theology. Served as linguist and
military chaplain. Famous, effective and forceful
preacher in any of his several languages. Founded
convents of
Vienna,
Prague, and Graz. Wrote
catechisms.
Chaplain of the
army of the
Holy Roman Empire in
1601. Rallied the
German
princes to fight a superior Turkish force, and was asked to lead the
army into battle at Stuhlweissenburg (modern Albe-Royal) carrying no
weapon but a
crucifix; the Turks were completely defeated. Master general of his
order from
1602 to
1605; he was the choice for another term, but turned it down.
Carried out important and successful diplomatic peace missions to
Munich and
Madrid. Assigned in
1605 to
evangelize in
Germany, where he had great success. Convinced Philip III of
Spain to join the German Catholic League. Commissary general of his
order for the provinces of Tyrol and
Bavaria. Spiritual director of the Bavarian
army. Tended to fall into
ecstasies when celebrating Mass.
In
1956, the Capuchin order compiled fifteen volumes of his sermons,
letters and writings. Proclaimed Apostolic
Doctor of the Church by
Pope
John XXIII in
1959.
- Born
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22 July 1559 at Brindisi,
Italy as Julius Caesar Rossi
- Died
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22 July 1619 at
Lisbon,
Portugal of natural causes; buried in the cemetery of the Poor
Clares on Villafranca
- Beatified
- 1783
- Canonized
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8 December 1881 by
Pope
Leo XIII
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Representation
- leading the
Christian
army against the Turks; receiving the embrace of the Child Jesus
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- Readings
- God is love, and all his operations proceed from love. Once he wills
to manifest that goodness by sharing his love outside himself, then the
Incarnation becomes the supreme manifestation of his goodness and love
and glory. So, Christ was intended before all other creatures and for
his own sake. For him all things were created and to him all things must
be subject, and God loves all creatures in and because of Christ. Christ
is the first-born of every creature, and the whole of humanity as well
as the created world finds its foundation and meaning in him. Moreover,
this would have been the case even if Adam had not sinned.
Saint Lawrence of Brindisi
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