Post #5802

Ignited by the desire for martyrdom, he joined the army that was concentrated in Venice to fight the Turks; but knowing God's will in prayer, he soon left his weapons, to consecrate himself to form a more excellent militia, which would work with all his might to defend the Church and to procure eternal salvation for men. Returning to his homeland, he refused a most honourable wedding and the inheritance of an uncle priest offered to him, he wanted to enter the narrow path of the cross and, in 1720, be dressed in a coarse cassock by his bishop Gian Francesco Arborio of Gattinara. Then by order of this, in grace of the eminent holiness of life and knowledge of divine things, he began, although not yet a cleric, to cultivate the field of the Lord with the preaching of the divine word, with the greatest fruit of souls. Having gone to Rome and regularly educated in theological disciplines, he was raised by the Supreme Pontiff Benedict XIII for obedience to the priesthood on the 7th of June 1727. Received by the same power to gather companions, he retired to the solitude of Mount Argentario, where, already for some time he was invited by the Blessed Virgin, showing him together a black robe adorned with the insignia of the passion of her Son, where he laid the first foundations of the new Congregation named of the Cross and Passion of out Lord Jesus Christ. Of which, in short, after he had laboured very much, increased of chosen men, with the blessing of God it took a great development; confirmed several times by the Apostolic See together with the rules which he had received from God in prayer, with the addition of a fourth vow, to promote the blessed remembrance of the Lord's Passion. On the 3rd of May 1771 he also instituted consecrated nuns to meditate on the excess of love of the divine Spouse. In the midst of so many things, he never failed to preach the Gospel with a greedy zeal of souls, leading an almost innumerable number of men back to the path of salvation, even the most wicked or fallen into heresy. The power of his words was marvelous, especially in recounting the Passion of Christ, whereby he melted in tears together with those present, forcing the most hardened hearts to penance. His chest burned with such a flame of divine love that the part of the garment closest to the heart often seemed as if burned by fire, and that two ribs were raised. In offering, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass he could not contain the tears: and frequently he was seen in ecstasy, sometimes with his body miraculously lifted, and with his face irradiated by supernatural light. Sometimes, while he was preaching, a heavenly voice was heard prompting him the words, and his saying was heard many miles away. He shone with the gift of prophecy, of tongues, of the penetration of hearts, of power over demons, diseases, the elements. Although dear to the Supreme Pontiffs themselves and venerated by them, he nevertheless considered himself a useless servant, the most miserable sinner, worthy of being trampled on even by demons. Finally, he remained very faithful to his very harsh kind of life until his very old age, in the year 1775, after having given his disciples admirable advice, as if to bequeath his spirit to them, comforted by the Sacraments of the Church and by a heavenly vision, he went to heaven, in Rome, on the day he had foretold (October 18). The Supreme Pontiff Pius IX included him in the list of Blessed on the 1st of May 1853 and finally, due to new and illustrious miracles worked, he inscribed him in the list of Saints on the 29th of June 1867 during the jubilee ceremonies in honour of the Saints Peter and Paul. His relics are preserved and venerated in Rome at the basilica of the Saints John and Paul, officiated by the Passionist Fathers.