Lorenzo de Brindis (1559–1619)

Biography

The son of a noble family, he received the sonorous name of Julius Caesar at baptism. He was very brave as a child and it is said that at the age of six, he admired everyone talking about God. After his father dies, César takes refuge with his mother in Venice. In Verona he consecrates his heart to Jesus Christ in the Capuchin Order, with the name of Lorenzo. He received extensive and deep theological and biblical training. In addition to the main modern languages, he knew Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Chaldean and Syriac well. He traveled throughout Italy and, with the reputation of being an austere religious man, a highly cultured man, an enlightened preacher and an effective debater, he headed to Vienna with twelve companions. He settled successively in Vienna, Graz and Prague. Pope Clement VIII also sent him as a spiritual animator in the war against the Turks who threatened to conquer Austria, Italy and all of Europe. He was an admirable military chaplain who encouraged, consoled and stimulated everyone with his example. In addition to his admirable preaching, San Lorenzo left a multitude of works published in fifteen volumes, eleven of which contain more than eight hundred sermons, on the Liturgical Year, the Saints and the Virgin Mary. He also shows himself to be a good exegete in his "EXPLANATION OF GENESIS." Although he had achieved so much success in all fields, he always remained humble and simple; virtues of Franciscan spirituality. He always remained faithful to his custom of sleeping on boards, of getting up during the night to praise the Lord, of fasting frequently on bread and vegetables, of harshly disciplining himself and, above all, of meditating assiduously on the sufferings of the Passion of the Lord. He died on July 22, 1619. He had toured Europe several times preaching and consoling. The good worker could now rest. His body was buried in Villafranca del Bierzo, in León, in the convent of the Franciscan nuns. He was canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1881. His Holiness John XXIII declared him a Doctor of the Church in 1959.