SAINT OF THE DAY APRIL 5 ( Saint Vincent Ferrer )

Saint Vincent Ferrer

Also known as

Vincent Ferreri

Profile

Fourth child of the Anglo-Scottish nobleman William Stewart Ferrer and his Spanish wife, Constantia Miguel; his father is reported to have had a dream in which he was told that Vincent would be a world famous Dominican friar. The boy joined the Dominicans in 1367. Received his doctorate of theology from the University of Lleida. Priest. Missionary. Taught theology. Adviser to the King of Aragon. During a severe fever in 1398, Vincent had a vision of Christ, Saint Dominic de Guzman and Saint Francis of Assisi. It was a life changing experience - Vincent received supernatural gifts and believed that he was a messenger of penance, an "angel of the apocalypse" sent to prepare humankind for the Judgement of Christ. Great preacher who converted thousands in Spain, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, England, Scotland, and Ireland. Invited to preach in Muslim Granada. Counselor to Pope Benedict XIII. Travelled through Spain, France, Switzerland, and Italy, working to end the Western Schism. Slept on the floor, had the gift of tongues (he spoke only Spanish, but all listeners understood him), lived in an endless fast, celebrated Mass daily, and known as a miracle worker; reported to have brought a murdered man back to life to prove the power of Christianity to the onlookers, and he would heal people thoughout a hospital just by praying in front of it. He worked so hard to build up the Church that he became the patron of people in building trades.

Born

23 January 1350 in Valencia (part of modern Spain)

Died

• 5 April 1419 at Vannes, Brittany, France of natural causes
• interred in the cathedral of Vannes

Canonized

• 3 June 1455 by Pope Callistus III
• at the recognition of his canonization, the stories of 800 of his validated miracles were read out loud; there were more, but the celebrants decided to simple move on with the recognition

Patronage

• brick makers
• builders
• Calamonaci, Italy
• Casteltermini, Agrigento, Italy
• construction workers
• Leganes, Philippines
• Orihuela-Alicante, Spain, diocese of
• pavement workers
• plumbers
• tile makers

Representation

• Bible
• cardinal's hat
• Dominican preacher with a flame on his hand
• Dominican preacher with a flame on his head
• Dominican holding an open book while preaching
• Dominican with a cardinal's hat
• Dominican with a crucifix
• Dominican with a trumpet nearby, often coming down from heaven, referring to his vision
• Dominican with wings, referring to his vision as being an 'angel of the apocalypse'
• pulpit, representing his life as a preacher
• flame, referring to his gifts from the Holy Spirit

Storefront

medals and pendants

Readings

If you truly want to help the soul of your neighbor, you should approach God first with all your heart. Ask him simply to fill you with charity, the greatest of all virtues; with it you can accomplish what you desire. - Saint Vincent Ferrer from On the Spiritual Life.