Saint Benedict the Moor

Having managed through hard work to save a little money, our Saint bought a pair of oxen and worked for three years on his own account. Occupied with the care of fulfilling the will of God in the condition in which heaven had placed him, he was content with his lot and did not think of changing his state. His piety led him to sanctify all his occupations, and while his hands worked to provide him with bodily nourishment, his spirit was fed by the meditation of the holy truths that religion teaches us. Such was, until the age of twenty-one, the conduct of the young and pious plowman; conduct well suited to serve as an example to those who, like him, devote themselves to agriculture. There was then, in the vicinity of San Fratello, a hermit named Brother Jerome Lanza. He was a man of goo d family and marri frère Jérôme Lanza Hermit who called Benedict to religious life. ed, who, after selling his property, had, with the consent of his wife, retired to a hermitage where he retraced the penitent life of the ancient solitaries of Egypt. One day as this good religious was walking in the countryside, he saw reapers who were making Benedict the object of their mockery. Having looked fixedly at this young man, he discovered, under the features of a black man, the signs of the most candid soul. He reproached the reapers for their unseemly jokes, and announced to them that in a short time they would hear of the one they were treating with contempt. Having found him, later, in the cottage he inhabited, he said to him: "What is Benedict doing here? Sell your oxen and come to my hermitage." Much more docile than the young man to whom Our Lord once gave a similar piece of advice, the servant of God did not hesitate; and although his oxen were of great value to him, because of the trouble he had taken to amass the money they cost him, he did not waver, and believing he heard the voice of Jesus Christ speaking to him through the mouth of the hermit, he sold them immediately, gave the price to the poor, and having obtained the consent of his parents, he went to Father Jerome's hermitage. In the hermitage of Santa Domenica he led the life of the ancient solitaries: he had made himself a habit of palm leaves which he never took off, he treated his body as a slave, chastising it harshly and granting it for all food only herbs once a day in small quantity and giving it only a little water to drink. The reputation of the hermits of Santa Domenica did not take long to spread, and the people were seen flocking to this solitude. Saint Benedict and his companions were afraid of the dissipation and left. They retired first to the valley of Nazzara, and eight years later, to the arid and icy solitude of Mancesa: they took the caves from the wolves to shelter there and live.

Following a miracle performed by Saint Benedict, the sick flocked to Mancesa: they had to leave again. Monte Pellegrino, half a league from Palerm o, was Palerme Birthplace and site of the saint's principal miracle. the place they chose: they built poor cells there with pieces of rock; but they were so poor that they did not know how to obtain a chapel. Providence provided for it: the Viceroy of Sicily had one built for them and added a few cells and a water reservoir. The superior of the hermits of Saint Francis having died, Saint Benedict's companions chose him to replace him, and he remained at their head until 1562. Then the hermits of Saint Francis were reunited by Pius IV with the Order that had given birth to them. Saint Benedi Pie IV Pope who authorized the cult of Conrad. ct de voted himself to the reform Ordre qui les avait enfantés Religious order welcomed by Engelbert in Cologne. that was beginning to be introduced among the children of the patriarch of Assisi. He lived successively in several convents where he distinguished himself by the austerities of penance, and lastly in that of Saint Mary, near Palermo, where he was entrusted with the duties of cook. One day, there was a famine in the convent, and it was impossible to go out because of the snow to beg. Saint Benedict did not lose confidence. In the evening, he took with him the brother who helped him in the kitchen: they filled several large vessels that were there with water; then, a new Elisha, the black Saint called, in great confidence, for the fruitfulness of God upon the oblation of his prayer. The whole night was spent in this loving and confident prayer. When morning came, Benedict and his companion went to the kitchen. The vessels they had prepared the day before were found filled with fish that were still palpitating, and in such great numbers that they abundantly sufficed for the needs of the community. One Christmas day, he became so absorbed in his prayer that he forgot to prepare the dinner in which the Archbishop of Palermo, who had come to officiate at the convent, was to take part, and yet, at the moment of sitting down to eat, the table was found served as it should be. Miracles of this kind were repeated several times in favor of Saint Benedict.

In 1578, our Saint found himself, to his great sorrow, appointed guardian of his convent. His position was delicate and difficult, for he was only a simple friar and had to command priests; but he brought such gentleness, humility, meekness, and self-denial to the fulfillment of his duties that he won over all minds, and everyone admired and venerated him. He had been guardian of the convent of Saint Mary for three years when he had to attend a chapter held in Girgenti. The crowd was suc h along Girgenti Sicilian city where Benedict traveled for a chapter of his order. his path that several times he had to flee to avoid it, and he could only travel by night. His entry into Girgenti was a true ovation: his humility suffered from it, but it proved greater and stronger than the trial to which it was being subjected. The popular enthusiasm is explained when one sees the miracles that Saint Benedict never ceased to perform around him. It seemed that Heaven had given him full power over life and death: he penetrated the secrets of hearts and read the future; he knew not how to refuse the poor: when he had just begged for his convent, he gave them everything he had received, and the good Lord, in reward, returned to him abundantly what he distributed without calculation. When his term of office ended, his brothers, not wanting to part with him, appointed him successively vicar and master of novices. He was an admirable master and astonished the most learned with his knowledge, he who did not even know how to read. From director of novices, Saint Benedict became a cook again, and it was a joy for him. It was a singular kitchen that was his, for visitors, from the greatest lords to the humblest of the people, never ceased to fill it. Saint Benedict had orders to receive everyone, to answer each person, and he obeyed with a patience that nothing could disturb. The time he could steal away and almost entire nights were devoted to contemplation.

In February 1589, the Saint fell ill. God was about to reward such a holy life. He predicted the hour of his death, which arrived on April 4. He was sixty-five years old. He had received the last sacraments with great sentiments of piety, and Saint Ursula, to whom he had a great devotion, had come to visit him on his bed of suffering and had flooded his poor cell with a marvelous light. Countless miracles occurred at his tomb. His reputation spread everywhere, and slaves of the Negro race took him as their protector and patron. Pius VII placed him among the Saints.

Acts of Pie VII Pope who authorized the cult of Blessed Rainier. his beatification.

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## IVth DAY OF APRIL