| ST. JOHN CANTIUS |
| Feast: October 20
|
| Born at
Kenty, near Oswiecim, Diocese of Krakow, Poland, 1412 (or 1403); died at Krakow,
1473, and was buried there under the church of St. Anne; his feast is on 20
October. He was the son of Stanislaus and Anne who were pious country people; he
received his primary education at his native town, and then being sent by his
parents to the Academy of Krakow, he soon impressed his professors and
colleagues with his pleasant and amiable disposition; always happy, but serious,
humble, and godly, he won the hearts of all who came in contact with him. Having
made excellent progress in the study of philosophical and theological sciences,
he was graduated first as bachelor, then as master and doctor, was ordained
priest and then appointed professor of theology at the Academy of Krakow, from
where he was sent, after a short time, by his superiors to Olkusz, Diocese of
Krakow, to be parish priest. Being afraid of the great responsiblity of parish
work, he very soon left the parish, and was again appointed professor of Sacres
Scripture at the Academy of Krakow, which position he held without interruption
until his death. As testified by Michael Miechowita, the medieval Polish
historian and the saint's first biographer, extreme humility and charity were
conspicuous in his life; he took as his motto:
Conturbare cave: non est placare suave, He distributed to the poor all the money and clothes he had, retaining only what was absolutely necessary to support himself. He slept but little, and on the floor, ate very sparingly, and was a total abstainer from meat after he became a doctor. He made one pilgrimage to Jerusalem with the desire of becoming a martyr among the Turks, and four pilgrimages to Rome on foot. During his life he performed various miracles, which were multiplied after his death at his tomb. He was canonized by Clement XIII in 1767. The Roman Breviary distinguishes him with three hymns; he is the only confessor not a bishop who is thus honoured. J. Godrycz From the Catholic Encyclopedia, copyright © 1913 by the Encyclopedia Press,
Inc. Electronic version copyright © 1996 by New Advent, Inc. |
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