Miracles around the tomb of Augustine of Biella led to his beatification in 1878, after he had long been forgotten by everyone, except the residents of the little town at the foot of the Alps where he lived. His is another example of a life noted for piety and regularity, but quite unremarkable for unusual events or venturesome projects.

Augustine’s father was a member of the Fangi family, who were wealthy and noble, and, because of this, he had planned a secular career for his son. But when the Dominicans came to Biella, his plans were changed, for Augustine was completely charmed by their way of life and begged to be admitted. He entered, while quite young, the new convent that the Dominicans had built at Biella.

Augustine’s had a reputation for penance, even at a time when people were not as squeamish as they are today. Not only did he inflict harsh penances upon himself, he also bore with patience whatever pain and annoyance life granted him gratuitously. At one time he was required to undergo a surgical operation without, of course, any anesthetic. He did so without making the slightest outcry. In fact, he said afterwards that his mind was so intensely focused on something else that he hardly noticed what was being done to him. His mind was on that “something else” most of the time, for he prayed continually.

In 1464, Augustine was made prior at Soncino. Several of his best known miracles were performed there. At one time, a deformed child, who had died without baptism, was restored to life, by Augustine’s prayer, long enough to be baptized. At another time, when he was passing down the street, he met a little boy who was crying bitterly, because he had broken a jug of wine. Augustine gathered up the shards and put them back together again. Then, with a prayer, he refilled the jug and handed it back to the startled child. Still another time, through his intercession, a woman was delivered from possession of five devils.

Augustine spent his last ten years in the convent in Venice, and he died there on the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene. He was buried in a damp place. Forty years later, on the occasion of some repairs to the church, his coffin, found floating on water, was opened. His body and habit were still intact. This did much to promote interest in his cause. Nevertheless, it was more than three centuries before he was finally beatified.

Born: at Biella, Italy, 1430

Died: feast of Saint Mary Magdalen 1493 at Venice, Italy; in the 1530s, workmen found his coffin floating in the water that had seeped into the burial chamber – when opened, Augustine’s body and clothing were found to be incorrupt

Cultus Confirmed: in 1872 by Pope Pius IX

Beatified: in 1878 by Pope Leo XIII

One of the stigmatists of the Order who deserves to be better known is Blessed Jane of Orvieto, whose marvel-filled life was the edification of Umbria in the latter half of the thirteenth century. Jane was born near Orvieto, in 1264, and both parents died when she was very small. Left to the care of casual neighbors, the little girl gre up with a special reliance of her guardian angel. She was a pious and intelligent child, , spending her time in prayer , even when very young.

Since it was necessary for her to earn her living , Jane studied dressmaking and became proficient at it. For several years she worked at this trade , prayerful and happy and undisturbed about her future. However, she had a number of unhappy experiences on the street on her way to work, for young men were attracted by her beauty. It became apparent to her that she must make some public declaration of her intentions if she wanted any peace. She decided to enter the Third Order of St. Dominic. Dressed in the habit of the mantellate, she would be safe from rude remarks and from any misunderstandings.

Jane’s friends opposed her plans, because they had already helpfully chosen a husband for her, and were trying to arrange a meeting of Jane and the man they had selected. Because of her youth, the Dominicans delayed in accepting her. Only after a long period of prayer and fasting was she able to win the privilege of putting on the Third Order habit and living with the other members of the Tertiary chapter. Once a member of the Order she so much desired , she set her goal at the highest sanctity and worked at attaining it. She prayed all morning and part of the afternoon, leaving herself only time to do enough work to care for her few needs and some alms to give the poor. She soon reached a remarkable state of prayer; she participated bodily in whatever she was contemplating. Her director learned not to say anything that would send her into ecstasy until he was through instructing her. Once he mentioned the martyrdom of Catherine of Alexandria and said piously, “Arise, O blessed Catherine,” and Jane arose, in ecstasy, and remained suspended in the air for an hour. If he talked about the Crucifixion her arms would go out in the form of a cross, and she would rise in the air like a figure on a crucifix. On Good Fridays she experienced the terrible agony of the Passion, and one could hear her bones cracking and see the bloody sweat. She received the stigmata, but it was not always visible.

Along with her remarkable life of prayer, Jane had to contend with physical pain. Once she was cured of a serious illness by a miraculous appearance of our Lord on the cross. He appeared to her in the midst of a bright light and gave her a cup of wine to drink. She obediently drank it, and she was instantly cured. Another time, when she was too ill to go to church to receive Communion , Our Lady came and brought the Holy Child to her.

One of Jane’s principal crosses was the lack of privacy. The whole town knew about her ecstasies. As soon as she fell into one, people came running to look. Jane tired to persuade the prioress to keep them out, but the prioress was interested herself, and saw no reason why anybody should object to being watched if they were not doing anything wrong. Jane wept with embarrassment when people asked for her blessing, and assured them over and over that she was not a saint but a wicked sinner, a diagnosis which nobody believed but herself.

Blessed Jane died, in 1306, and was buried in the Third Order cemetery in Orvieto. The following year her body was transferred to the chapel of the Three Kings, and many prodigies occurred at that time, giving impetus to the process for beatification, which, however, was not completed until more than 400 years later, in 1754.

Born: c.1264 at Carniola, near Orvieto

Died: 1306

Beatified: September 11, 1754 by Pope Benedict XIV (cultus confirmed)

SONY DSC

Ceslaus Odrowatz was a near relative, probably a brother, of Saint Hyacinth, and shared with him the apostolate of Northern Europe. Little is known of his youth. He was born in the ancestral castle and educated with Saint Hyacinth, by his uncle, a priest of Cracow.

Both young men became priests and, being well-known for their holiness, were chosen to be canons in the cathedral chapter in Cracow. When their uncle received an appointment as bishop of Cracow, the two young priests accompanied him on his trip to Rome, where he would be consecrated.

It was in Rome that the two zealous young priests first heard of the work of Saint Dominic. The order was then only four years old, and its eager members had penetrated to almost all parts of Christendom and were pushing into the lands of the Tartars and the Mohammedans.

The new bishop strongly desired that some of the friars should come to Poland. Since Saint Dominic was then in Rome, they went to him for missionaries. Dominic was deeply regretful that he had no friars who were able to speak the languages of the North. However, he was much drawn to the bishop’s two young nephews, and promised to make them Dominican apostles if they would remain with him.

After their novitiate training, Hyacinth and Ceslaus went home. Ceslaus went to Prague, and other parts of Bohemia, where he founded convents of Friar Preachers and also established a group of nuns. Then he went to Silesia, where he founded the convent of Breslau that was to become his center of activities. He also acted as the spiritual director for duchess Saint Hedwig of Poland.

The life of Blessed Ceslaus, like that of Saint Hyacinth, is a record of almost countless miracles, of unbelievable distances travelled on foot through wild and warlike countries, and of miracles of grace. He cured the sick and the maimed, raised the dead to life, and accomplished wonders in building convents. His most remarkable miracle was the raising to life of a boy who had been dead for eight days.

In 1241 the Tartars swooped down upon the Christian kingdoms and laid waste the labor of centuries. Blessed Ceslaus was in Breslau at the time the Tartars laid siege to the city. He and his community fasted and prayed incessantly that the city would be saved, and when the cause looked darkest, Ceslaus mounted the ramparts with a crucifix in his hand. While the Tartars gazed in astonishment, a huge ball of fire descended from heaven and settled above him. Arrows of fire shot out from the heavenly weapon, and the Tartars fled in terror, leaving the city unmolested.

Our Lady came to receive the soul of Blessed Ceslaus, who had been tireless in preaching her glories.

Born: c.1180 at Cracow, Poland

Died: July 16, 1242

Beatified: August 27, 1712 by Pope Clement XI (cultus confirmed)