Saint Ignatius of Laconi

Feast Day: May 11

Ignazio (born Vincenzo Peis) was born in Laconi, on the southern edge of Sardinia’s mountainous region, a small satellite in the orbit of Cagliari, in December 1701, to Mattia Cadello and Anna Maria Sanna. It was expected that he would become a farmer like his parents. Common for one living in a remote, unexposed region. In just seven years, between 1713 and 1720—during Ignatius’ adolescence—Sardinia changed hands three times: from Spain to Austria, then back to Spain, and finally to the House of Savoy. Yet the Sardinians scarcely noticed this governmental merry-go-round, which shows how life on the island followed its own rules, firmly rooted in laws different from those of European monarchies.

His family instilled in him the gospel spirit so deeply that, even as a child, fellow villagers nicknamed him the little saint. He never attended a single day of school and never learned to write, but he went to Mass every day, serving as an altar boy. Before turning seven, on May 17, 1707, he was confirmed by the Archbishop of Oristano. The little saint, according to testimonies, remained so even through the delicate, difficult stages of adolescence and early adulthood. He was considered such when, at eighteen, an illness left him bedridden and near death. It was then that he promised God he would become a Franciscan if he recovered.

Vincenzo recovered, but didn’t keep the promise. We will never know for sure why he forgot it. Any explanation would be mere conjecture. As historian P. Golinelli noted, “The past often keeps hidden and mysterious what lies within the human soul.” For a time, Vincenzo seemed to forget not only his vow but also his previous religious fervor, more concerned now with youthful pleasures. But while he forgot, God did not. One autumn morning in 1721, as he rode toward the Sarcidano plateau, he narrowly escaped tragedy: his horse suddenly bolted out of control, galloping dangerously close to a cliff. Vincenzo was stunned when the animal stopped abruptly, leaving him trembling and drenched in sweat. In that moment of relief, he remembered the unfulfilled vow and decided then and there to fulfill it.

In early November 1721, Vincenzo, accompanied by his father, arrived in Cagliari at the Buoncammino convent and asked the Capuchin Provincial to be admitted to the Order. But he was refused. His frail health, they said, wouldn’t withstand the rigors of lay brother life. Vincenzo and his father turned to the Marquis of Laconi, Gabriele Aymerich, who intervened on his behalf. On November 10, Vincenzo donned the Capuchin habit, taking the name Ignatius, and began his novitiate year, which he completed with difficulty. At his final examination, he passed by just one vote, but it was enough to proceed to his profession on November 10, 1722.

The next twenty years are shrouded in mystery. Testimonies about that long period are sparse and contradictory. He likely served in Iglesias and then Domusnovas (possibly the reverse), performing various tasks but struggling to maintain a steady position.

Around 1742, he arrived in Cagliari, where he remained until his death, roaming the city with his sack slung over his shoulder. He came to know every stone and every face. He entered homes rich and poor alike, asking for bread and offering another kind of bread—the Gospel—preached simply and effectively, especially to children and the poor, who felt loved, understood, and defended by him.

One of his most famous acts was directed at Gioacchino Franchino, a wealthy merchant who had enriched himself by exploiting the poor and aspired to prestige and the title of benefactor. But Brother Ignatius avoided his door. The merchant complained to the guardian, who ordered Ignatius to stop at Franchino’s house during his alms rounds. Ignatius obeyed, but as he left the rich man’s home with a generously filled sack, blood began to drip from it—a steady trail from the city to the convent. When he placed the sack at the guardian’s feet, the horrified superior demanded an explanation. “Father,” said Brother Ignatius, “it is the blood of the poor.”
He said nothing more, and nothing more needed to be said.

Around this kind friar, a friend to children and comforter to the suffering, who could read hearts, who practiced strict penance, and who was gifted with miracles and foresight, a legend quickly grew. He became an essential part of Cagliari, and even important figures sought his advice and intercession.

Patronage
Oristano – Beggars – Students

Source: fraticappuccini.it

Birthplace

Born
10 December 1701
Laconi, Kingdom of Sardinia (Italy)

Death
11 May 1781
Cagliari, Kingdom of Sardinia (Italy)

Canonized
21 October 1951 (Pope Pius XII)

Shrine/Relics/Tomb
Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy