Angelus of Jerusalem

Infobox Saint
name=Saint Angelus
birth_date=1185
death_date=1220
feast_day=May 5
venerated_in=


imagesize=180px
caption=An anonymous (15th century) portrait of Saint Angelus
birth_place=Jerusalem
death_place=Licata, Sicily
titles=Martyr
beatified_date=
beatified_place=
beatified_by=
canonized_date=15th century
canonized_place=
canonized_by=Pius II
attributes=knife, sword through chest, book, palm, three crowns, lillies, roses
patronage=
major_shrine=Licata
suppressed_date=
issues=
prayer=
prayer_attrib=

Saint Angelus ( _it. Sant'Angelo) (1185 - 1220), a saint and martyr from the Holy Land, was born in Jerusalem to a Jewish family. His mother, however, converted to Christianity, and Angelus, along with his twin brother, John, were baptised when she converted. [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/51875 Sant' Angelo da Gerusalemme (di Sicilia) ] ]

His parents died while he was young, and he and his twin brother entered the Carmelite Order at the age of eighteen. They already spoke Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/51875 Sant' Angelo da Gerusalemme (di Sicilia) ] ]

Around his twenty-sixth year, Angelus was ordained in Jerusalem, and he traveled through Palestine. Various miraculous cures were attributed to him. His "acta" states that he sought to avoid fame, and when he was becoming known for his miracles, he withdrew from society to a hermitage. He remained a hermit on Mount Carmel until he was instructed [Some Catholic sources say that he received a vision from God to leave for Italy.] to leave for Italy to preach against Albigensians, Bulgars, and patarini. [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/51875 Sant' Angelo da Gerusalemme (di Sicilia) ] ]

He went to Sicily, and his fame as a miracle-worker caused crowds to come to him.

He wanted to convert a Cathar knight named Berenger (Berengarius). Catholic tradition states that Berenger was living in incest and that Angelus convinced the knight's companion to leave Berenger. [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/51875 Sant' Angelo da Gerusalemme (di Sicilia) ] ] Berenger became enraged and killed or had him killed in front of the Church of SS. Filippo e Giacomo in Licata. He died of his wounds four days after the attack, and according to Catholic tradition, asked for his assassin to be pardoned. [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/51875 Sant' Angelo da Gerusalemme (di Sicilia) ] ] He was buried at SS. Filippo e Giacomo. [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/51875 Sant' Angelo da Gerusalemme (di Sicilia) ] ]

Veneration

His sepulcher at Licata became a site of pilgrimage. [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/51875 Sant' Angelo da Gerusalemme (di Sicilia) ] ] The Carmelites venerated him as a saint from at least 1456 and the cult was approved by Pope Pius II. [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/51875 Sant' Angelo da Gerusalemme (di Sicilia) ] ] His relics were translated to a new church in Licata, S. Maria del Carmine; the ending of a plague in the Kingdom of Naples in 1656 was attributed to his intercession. [ [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/51875 Sant' Angelo da Gerusalemme (di Sicilia) ] ]

ee also

* Hebrew Catholics

References

External links

*it icon [http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/51875 Sant' Angelo da Gerusalemme (di Sicilia) Martire, carmelitano]
*it icon [http://www.santuariosantangelo.it/ Santuario di Sant' Angelo da Gerusalemme (di Sicilia) Martire, carmelitano in Licata]