SAINT OF THE DAY..... SAINT PHILIP BENIZI....Feastday:August 23 Patronof The Minor Basilica inMonte Senario (Fiesole) in the Diocese of Florence, Tuscany,Italy; Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines 1233 - 1285 Servite cardinaland preacher.Born in Florence, Italy, to a noble family, he was educated in Parisand Paduawhere he earned a doctorate in medicineand philosophy. He practiced medicine for some time, but in 1253 he joined the Servite Order in Florence. He served as a lay brother until 1259, when his superiors directed him to be ordained. Philip soonbecame known as one of the foremost preachers of his era, becoming master of novices at Sienain 1262 and then superiorof several friaries and priorgeneral of the Servites against his own wishes. in 1267. Reforming theorder with zealand patience, he was named as a possible candidate to become pope by the influential CardinalOttobuoni just before the electionto choose a successor to Pope Clement IV. This possibility was so distressing to Philip that he fled and hid in a cave until the electionwas finally over. He attended the Council of Lyons which brought about a brief reunion with the Orthodox, worked to bring peace between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines in 1279, assisted St. Juliana in founding the third order of the Servites, and in 1284, dispatched the first Servite missionaries to the Far East. He retired to a small Servite house in Todi, where he died on August 22. He was canonized in 1671.
Posted on: Fri, 23 Aug 2013 05:17:53 +0000