Blessed Nicholas of Forca Palena

Forca Palena was for a few years the happy theater of his beautiful actions; but our young priest, pained by the veneration and respect shown to him by his compatriots, left his native land, resolved to lead an entirely hidden life; he knew that the desert offers a refuge against the persecutions of the world, that it is the rest of those who are weary, the consolation of the afflicted, the salutary shelter against the ardors of the century, the place where sin has no access and where the soul finds true freedom. Joyful, he ran to Rome and p rese Rome Birthplace of Maximian. nted himself to hermits who lived in community near the small church of Saint-Sauveur. Admitted into their society, he settled among them and later became their superior.

Domenico Capecie, Dominique Capecie Neapolitan hermit and friend of Nicholas, who bequeathed his possessions to him. a Neapolitan hermit, had pledged a sincere friendship to Blessed Nicholas in the convent of Saint-Salvator; on the point of death, he bequeathed all his goods to him, expressing the wish to see them used for the construction of a small hermitage in the countryside of Nap Naples Place of the saint's death. les. No sooner had Nicholas closed the eyes of his generous friend than he went to that city (1417) and founded the requested hermitage: it still existed in the last century under the n ame of Our Lady of G Notre-Dame de Grâces Hermitage founded by Nicolas in Naples. races.

Later, Nicholas returned to Rome Rome Birthplace of Maximian. and sought a deep solitude where he could establish a new hermitage and settle permanently. His choice fell upon the Janiculum Hill; he had a few mont Janicule Hill in Rome where Nicholas established his main hermitage. cells and a chapel built there, which was dedicated to Saint Onuphrius an d is today a saint Onuphre Saint to whom the chapel founded on the Janiculum is dedicated. cardinal's title. Disciples were not long in coming; within a few years, the solitudes of the Janiculum Hill were populated with anchorites. Nicholas, more than eighty years old, did not cease to direct them; he even wished to give them a Rule and made the journey to Rome to ask Pope Eugene IV to unite his co mmunity with t pape Eugène IV Pope who sent Nicholas Albergati to the Council of Basel. he Congregation of the Hermits of Saint Jerome. The Sovereign Pontiff Congrégation des Ermites de Saint-Jérôme Religious order to which the community of Nicholas was attached. approved this union and confirmed it with a special bull dated 1446.

Blessed Nicholas governed his community until the age of one hundred, when it pleased the Lord to put an end to his long career (September 29, 1449). He was buried in the church of his hermitage and his tomb became famous for the miracles that took place there. The vil lage of Forca Palena ob village de Forca Palena Birthplace of the blessed, located in the Abruzzo region. tained relics of the Blessed and chose him as its patron (1638); Pope Clement XIV approved his pape Clément XIV Pope who granted canonical institution and the house of Saints John and Paul. cult (August 24, 1774).

Acta Sanctorum. — Cf. Continuators of Godessard.