John of Matha | |
|---|---|
 A statue of Saint John of Matha discussing freedom from slavery and sin with a pirate in theUniversity of Mary's Crow's Nest Campus Restaurant. | |
| Confessor; Founder of the Trinitarians | |
| Born | 23 June 1160 Faucon-de-Barcelonnette |
| Died | 17 December 1213 (1213-12-18) (aged 53) Rome |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church |
| Canonized | Cultus confirmed 21 October 1666 byPope Alexander VII |
| Feast | 17 December[1] (Ordinary Form); 8 February (Extraordinary Form) |
| Attributes | purse, man in Trinitarian habit, with the white with blue and red cross on the breast, with chains in his hands or at his feet, captives near him, and his mitre at his feet |
John of Matha, OSsT (23 June 1160 – 17 December 1213) was a French Catholic priest and cofounder of theOrder of the Most Holy Trinity, initially dedicated to ransoming Christians who had been captured bymarauders from North Africa.
Between the eighth and the 15th centuries,Medieval Europe was in a state of intermittent warfare between the Christian kingdoms of Southern Europe and the Muslim polities of North Africa, Southern France, Sicily and portions of Spain. According to James W. Brodman, the threat of capture or kidnapping, either by Muslim pirates or coastal raiders, or during one of the region's intermittent wars, was a continual concern for residents ofCatalonia,Languedoc, and other coastal provinces of mediaeval Christian Europe.[2] Raids by Muslim bands and armies was a near-annual occurrence.[3]
The redemption of captives is listed among the corporalworks of mercy. The period of theCrusades, during which so many Christians were in danger of falling into the hands of Muslims, witnessed the rise of religious orders vowed exclusively to this pious work.[4]
Most of the story of John of Matha's life is based on legends that circulated after his death. It is reasonably certain that he was born to noble parents Euphemius and Martha atFaucon-de-Barcelonnette, on the borders ofProvence on 23 June 1169. He was baptised as John, in honour ofJohn the Baptist. His father Euphemius sent him toAix-en-Provence, where he learned grammar, fencing, riding, and other skills fit for a young nobleman. It is said that while there, he gave the poor a considerable part of the money his parents sent him, and he visited the hospital every Friday to assist the penniless sick.[5]
He studied theology at theUniversity of Paris and wasordained a priest at the age of 32 in December 1192.[6] According to Trinitarian tradition, John celebrated his firstMass on 28 January 1193. During that Mass, he had avision of Christ holding by the hand two chained captives, one aMoor, the other a Christian (the Crusades were in full force at the time). The Christian captive carried a staff with a red and blue cross. After the Mass, John decided to devote himself to the task of ransoming Christian captives from the Moors.[6] Before entering upon this work, he thought it needful to spend some time in retirement, prayer, and mortification; having heard of the holy hermitFelix of Valois, who lived in a great wood near Gandelu in theDiocese of Meaux, he went to him and requested instruction in the practice of perfection.[5]
One day while walking with Felix, John had anothervision—a white stag appeared at a stream with a red and blue cross between its antlers.[6] John disclosed to Felix the plans inspired by the vision during his first Mass of succouring captive Christians under slavery, and Felix offered his help to carry it out. They set out for Rome in the severe winter of 1197, to obtain the Pope's approval.[5]
On 17 December 1198, they obtained the preliminary approval ofPope Innocent III for a new order dedicated in honour of theBlessed Trinity for the redemption of Christian captives. The Order was fully approved in 1209; its first monastery was established atCerfroid north of Paris (at the site of Felix’s old hermitage), and the second in Rome at the Church ofSan Tommaso in Formis. Christian slaves were first rescued by the Order in 1201. In 1202 and 1210, John travelled toTunisia himself and brought back countless Christian slaves.
Before his death, Trinitarian tradition says he metFrancis of Assisi and introduced Francis to theFrangipani family, who became benefactors of theOrder of Friars Minor. John of Matha died on 17 December 1213 in Rome, in the house of Thomas In Formis on theCaelian Hill.[1]
John founded the Trinitarians to visit slave markets, buy Christian slaves, and set them free in the name of the Holy Trinity. To do this, the Order needed large amounts of money, so they placed their fundraising efforts under thepatronage of theBlessed Virgin Mary, theMother of God. In gratitude for her assistance, John of Matha honored Mary with thetitle of "Our Lady of Good Remedy." Devotion to Mary under this ancient title is widely known in Europe andLatin America, and the Catholic Church celebrates her feast day on 8 October. Our Lady of Good Remedy is often depicted as the Virgin Mary handing a bag of money to John of Matha.[7]
In 1655, hisrelics weretranslated from Rome toMadrid. Hiscultus was approved in 1665, and his feast day on the currentGeneral Roman Calendar is 17 December.Traditional Catholics that observe theExtraordinary Form of the Mass still observe his old feast day on 8 February.
The Order of the Most Holy Trinity is active on five continents and in many countries.[1]
DeMatha Catholic High School located inHyattsville, Maryland,US is named after him. It is also sponsored by theTrinitarians.
Saint-Jean-de-Matha is a village in the province of Quebec.
In 1865 American poetJohn Greenleaf Whittier composed an anti-slavery poem entitled "The Mantle of St. John De Matha".
