Seven Holy Founders

Biography

Their names: Alejo, Amadeo, Hugo, Benito, Bartolomé, Gerardino and Juan. They belonged to an association of devotees of the Virgin Mary in Florence, and little by little they became convinced that they should abandon the worldly and dedicate themselves to a life of holiness. They sold their goods, distributed the money to the poor and went to Mount Senario to pray and do penance. The idea of ​​going to the mountains to sanctify themselves came to them on August 15, the feast of the Assumption of the Holy Virgin. Virgin, and they put it into practice on September 8, the day of Our Lady's birth. They had proposed to spread devotion to the Mother of God and entrust to Her all their plans and their anxieties. And they decided to call themselves "Servants of Mary" or "Servites." They were all ordained Priests, except Alexius, the youngest of them, who out of humility always wanted to remain a simple brother, and was the last of all to die. One Good Friday they received from the Holy Virgin. Virgin Mary the inspiration to adopt as the Regulations of her Association the Rule written by Saint Augustine. They did so, and soon this religious association spread to such an extent that it had one hundred convents, and its religious went through cities, towns and fields evangelizing and teaching many, with their word and good example, the path of holiness. His specialty was a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Virgin, who got them wonderful favors from God. Bartholomew led a life of such angelic purity that when he died the entire convent felt filled with a very pleasant perfume, and several religious saw that a brilliant light came out of the deceased's room and ascended to heaven. Two of the founders, Hugo and Gerardino, maintained a great and holy friendship with each other throughout their lives. They had to separate to each one go to distant regions to preach. When they were very old they were called to Mount Senario for a general meeting of all the superiors. That night the superior, San Felipe Benicio, saw in a dream that the Virgin Mary was coming to earth to take two very white lilies to heaven. When she got up in the morning, she learned the news that the two inseparable friends had woken up dead, and she realized that Our Lady had come to take those two who had loved her so much to be together in the Eternal Paradise. They all died in the odor of holiness. The last to die was brother Alejo, who lived to be 110 years old. One who knew him said about him: When I arrived in the Community, only one of the Seven Holy Founders was alive, Brother Alexius, and from his lips we heard the story of all of them." The life of Brother Alexius was so holy that he served as a good example to everyone and demonstrated how saintly the other six companions must have been. He died on February 17, 1310. May these Holy Founders encourage us to increase our devotion to the Virgin Mary. and to never tire of spreading devotion to the Mother of God.