Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen OFM Cap. | |
|---|---|
 Fidelis von Sigmaringen | |
| Martyr | |
| Born | 1577 Sigmaringen,Principality of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen |
| Died | 24 April 1622(1622-04-24) (aged 44–45) Grüsch,Seewis im Prättigau, Free State of the Three Leagues |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 24 March 1729 byPope Benedict XIII |
| Canonized | 29 June 1746, Rome byPope Benedict XIV |
| Majorshrine | Capuchin friary of Weltkirchen (Feldkirch),Austria |
| Feast | 24 April |
| Attributes | sword; palm of martyrdom; heretics;morning star; trampling on the word "heresy"; with aclub set with spikes; with awhirlbat; with an angel carrying a palm of martyrdom; withSaint Joseph of Leonessa |
Fidelis of Sigmaringen,OFM Cap. (1577 – 1622) was a GermanCapuchin friar who was involved in the CatholicCounter-Reformation. He was martyred by his opponents atSeewis im Prättigau, now part ofSwitzerland. Fidelis wascanonized in 1746.
He was bornMark Roy orRey in 1577,[1] inSigmaringen, a town in modern-dayGermany, then under thePrincipality of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. His father's name was John Rey, a spaniard. He studied law andphilosophy at theUniversity of Freiburg.
Roy subsequently taught philosophy at this university, ultimately earning the degree ofDoctor of Law. During his time as a student he did not drink wine, and wore ahair-shirt. He was known for his modesty, meekness andchastity.
In 1604, Rey accompanied, aspreceptor (teacher-mentor), three youngSwabian gentlemen on their travels through the principal parts of Europe. During six years of travel, he attendedMass very frequently. In every town they came to, he visited the hospitals and churches, passed several hours on his knees in the presence of theBlessed Sacrament, and was generous to the poor, sometimes giving them the very clothes off his back.[2]
Upon his return, he practiced law as a counselor or advocate, atColmar inAlsace,[3] France, where he came to be known as the 'poor man's lawyer'. He scrupulously forbore all invectives, detractions, and whatever might affect the reputation of any adversary. Disenchanted with the evils associated with his profession, he determined to join his brother George as a member of theCapuchin friars.[2]
Upon entering theCapuchin order, theguardian gave him thereligious nameFidelis, theLatin word for "faithful", alluding to that text from theBook of Revelation which promises a crown of life to him who shall continue faithful to the end. He finished hisnovitiate and studies for thepriesthood, saying his first Mass at the Capuchinfriary inFreiburg on 4 October 1612 (the feast day of St.Francis of Assisi, founder of the order).
As soon as Fidelis finished his course oftheology, he was immediately employed inpreaching and in hearingconfessions. He became guardian of the Capuchin friary in Weltkirchen,Feldkirch, (in present-day Austria). During a severe epidemic in a city, Fidelis cared for and cured many sick soldiers.[2] Many residents of the town and neighboring places were reformed by his zealous labors, and severalCalvinists were converted. TheCongregation of the Doctrine of the Faith commissioned Fidelis to preach in theGraubünden, now a canton of eastern Switzerland. Eight other Capuchin friars were to be his assistants, and they labored in this mission under his direction.
The Calvinists of that territory, being incensed at his success in converting their brethren, loudly threatened Fidelis' life, and he prepared himself formartyrdom. Ralph de Salis and another Calvinist gentleman were both converted by his missionary efforts. Fidelis and his companions entered intoPrättigau, a small district of Graubünden, in 1622, on theFeast of the Epiphany, January 6. The effects of his ardent zeal, about which theBishop of Coire sent a lengthy and full account to theCongregation for the Propagation of the Faith, enraged the Calvinists in that province.
On 24 April 1622,[4] Fidelis made his confession, celebrated Mass and then preached atGrüsch. At the end of his sermon, which he had delivered with more than ordinary zeal, he stood silent all of a sudden, with his eyes fixed upon Heaven, inecstasy. He foretold his death to several persons in the clearest terms, and began signing his letters,P. Fidelis, prope diem esca vermium ("Father Fidelis, in days ahead to become food for worms"). After the service at Grüsch he and several companions traveled toSeewis. His companions noted that he was particularly cheerful.[4]
.jpg)
On 24 April, in a campaign organized by theHabsburgs, Fidelis was preaching under protection of someAustrian imperial soldiers in the Church at Seewis with the aim of reconverting the people of Seewis toCatholicism. During the sermon, his listeners were called "to arms" by the Calvinist agitators outside. Some of the people went to face the Austrian troops outside the church. Fidelis had been persuaded by the remaining Catholics to immediately flee with the Austrian troops out of Seewis, which he did, but then returned alone to Grüsch. On his way back he was confronted by 20 Calvinist soldiers who demanded unsuccessfully that he renounce the Catholic faith, and when he refused, they subsequently murdered him.[4]
A local account:
From Grüsch he went to preach at Seewis, where, with great energy, he exhorted the Catholics to constancy in the faith. After a Calvinist had discharged hismusket at him in the Church, the Catholics entreated him to leave the place. He answered that death was his gain and his joy, and that he was ready to lay down his life in God's cause. On his road back to Grüsch, he met twenty Calvinist soldiers with a minister at their head. They called him a false prophet, and urged him to embrace their sect. He answered: "I am sent to you to confute, not to embrace your heresy. The Catholic religion is the faith of all ages, I fear not death." One of them beat him down to the ground by a stroke on the head with his backsword. Fidelis rose again on his knees, and stretching forth his arms in the form of a cross, said with a feeble voice "Pardon my enemies, O Lord: blinded by passion they know not what they do. Lord Jesus, have mercy on me.Mary, Mother ofGod, succor me!." Another sword stroke clove his skull, and he fell to the ground and lay in a pool of his own blood. The soldiers, not content with this, added manystab wounds to his body with their long knives, and hacked-off his left leg, as they said, to punish him for his many journeys into those parts to preach to them.[3]
It is said that a Catholic woman lay concealed near the place of Fidelis' martyrdom as the saint was slain. After the soldiers had left, she came out to assess the incident and found the martyr's eyes open, fixed on the heavens. He was buried by Catholics the next day.
The rebels were soon after defeated by the imperial troops, an event which the martyr had foretold. The Protestant minister who had participated in Fidelis' martyrdom was converted by this circumstance, made a public abjuration of Calvinism and was received into the Catholic Church.
After six months, the martyr's body was found to beincorrupt, but his head and left arm were separated from his body. The body parts were then placed into tworeliquaries, one sent to theCoire Cathedral, at the behest of the bishop, and laid under theHigh Altar; the other was placed in the Capuchin church at Weltkirchen,Feldkirch,Austria.
Saint Fidelis'feast day in the Catholic Church is celebrated on 24 April.
