Fidelis of Sigmaringen
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| Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen | |
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 Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen |
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| Born | 1577, Sigmaringen, Hohenzollern |
| Died | 1622, Seewis im Prättigau |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholicism |
| Beatified | 24 March 1729 by Pope Benedict XIII |
| Canonized | 29 June 1746 by Pope Benedict XIV |
| Major shrine | Weltkirchen, Germany |
| Feast | April 24 |
| Attributes | sword; palm of martyrdom; heretics; the Morning Star; trampling on the word "heresy"; with a club set with spikes; with a whirlbat; with an angel carrying a palm of martyrdom; with Saint Joseph of Leonissa |
 Saints Portal |
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Fidelis of Sigmaringen (1577 – April 24, 1622) is a Roman Catholic saint and martyr of the Counter-Reformation in Switzerland.
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[edit] Early life
He was born Mark Roy or Rey and took the name of "Fidelis" when he joined the Capuchin Order at the age of 35 in 1612. He was born at Sigmarengen, a town in Germany, in the principality of Hohenzollern. His father was John Rey. He studied law and philosophy at Freiburg.
He subsequently taught philosophy there, ultimately earning a "doctor of laws". During his time as a student he did not drank wine, and wore a hair-shirt. His was known for his modesty, meekness, and chastity.
In 1604, he accompanied three young gentlemen of Switzerland on their travels through the principal parts of Europe. During six years of travel, he attended Mass very frequently; in every town where he came, he visited the hospitals and churches, passed several hours on his knees in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, and gave to the poor sometimes the very clothes off his back.
Upon return to Switzerland, he practiced the law in quality of counsellor or advocate, at Colmar, in Alsace. He scrupulously forbore all invectives, detractions, and whatever might affect the reputation of any adversary. His charity procured him the surname of "counsellor and advocate for the poor". Being disenchanged by the evils of that profession, he became determined him to enter the Capuchin friars.
[edit] Life as a Friar
Upon entering the Convent, the guardian gave him the Latin religious name of "Fidelis", or Faithful, alluding to that text of the Book of Revelation which promises a crown of life to him who shall continue faithful to the end. He finished his novitiate and studies, offering his first Mass in their convent at Fribourg, on the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, in 1612.
He had no sooner finished his course of theology, than he was employed in preaching and in hearing confessions; and being sent superior to the convent of Weltkirchen, many residens of town and neighboring places were reformed by his zealous labors, and several Calvinists converted. The Congregation of the Faith commissioned Fidelis to preach among the Grisons. Eight other fathers of Capuchin Order were his assistants, and labored in this mission under his direction.
The Calvinists of that territory, being incensed at his attempt, loudly threatened his life, and he prepared himself for martyrdom. Ralph de Salis, and another Calvinist gentleman, were converted by his first conferences. Fidelis and his companions entered into Pretigout, a small district of the Grisons, in 1622, on the feast of the Epiphany. The effects of his zeal, whereof the bishop of Coire sent a large and full account to the Congregation de Propaganda Fidei, enraged the Calvinists in that province.
On 24th April 1622, he made his sacramental confession, said Mass, and then preached at Grüsch. At the end of his sermon, which he delivered with more than ordinary fire, he stood silent on a sudden, with his eyes fixed on heaven, in an ecstasy, during some time. 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 soon to come food for worms").
[edit] Death
On April 24th, Fidelis was preaching at Sévis when the crowd called out "to arms." The people went out to face the Austrian troops. Both sides initially thought that it was Fidelis who had called on the conflict, and so he was let go. However, as he was leaving the town, twenty soldiers confronted him, demanded his renunciation of the Catholic faith, and killed him.
The following is a Roman Catholic account:
From Grüsch he went to preach at Sévis, where, with great energy, he exhorted the Catholics to constancy in the faith. After a Calvinist had discharged his musket 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 Gruch, he met twenty Calvinist soldiers with a minister at their head. They called him 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 out 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 pity on me. Mary, mother of Jesus, assist me." Another stroke clove his skull, and he fell to the ground and lay wetering in his blood. The soldiers, not content with this, added many stabs in his body, and hacked his left leg, as they said, to punish him for his many journeys into those parts to preach to them.
[edit] Veneration
It is said that a Catholic woman lay concealed near the place during his martyrdom; and after the soldiers were gone, coming out to see the effects of it, found the martyr's eyes open, and fixed on the heavens. He was buried by the Catholics the next day. The rebels were soon after defeated by the imperialists, an event which the martyr had foretold them. The minister was converted by this circumstance, and made a public abjuration of his Calvinism.
After six months, the martyr's body was found incorrupt, but the head and left arm separate from the trunk. These being put into two cases, were moved to the cathedral of Coire, at behest the bishop, and laid under the high altar; the remainder of the corpse was placed in the Capuchin's church at Weltkirchen.
His feast day in the Roman Catholic Church is April 24.
[edit] Gallery
 Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen and Saint Joseph of Leonessa, by Tiepolo |
[edit] References
- Alban Butler, Vol. IV of The Lives or the Fathers, Martyrs and Other Principal Saints. 1864 edition published by D. & J. Sadlier, & Company
- Acts of the canonization of SS. Fidelis of Sigmarengen, Camillus de Lellis, Peter Regalati, Joseph of Leonissa and Catherine Ricci, by Benedict XIV., printed in 1749, folio. On St. Fidelis, pp. 101, 179, and the bull for his canonization, p 516.
