Lawrence of Brindisi

Saint Lawrence of Brindisi
Born	July 22, 1559 in Brindsi
Died	July 22, 1619 in Lisbon
Beatified	1783
Canonized	1881 by Leo XIII
Major shrine	Villafranca
Feast	July 21
Attributes	leading army, with Jesus
Patronage	Brindisi

Saint Lawrence of Brindisi (July 22, 1559, Brindisi, Puglia – July 22, 1619), born Giulio Cesare Russo, was a Roman Catholic priest and a member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. He was beatified in 1783 by Pope Pius VI, canonized in 1881 by Pope Leo XIII, and declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope John XXIII in 1959. His feast day is July 21.

Born in Brindisi, Kingdom of Naples, to a family of Venetian merchants, he was educated at Saint Mark's College in Venice and joined the Capuchins in Verona as Brother Lorenzo. He received further instruction from the University of Padua. An accomplished linguist, Lawrence spoke most European and Semitic languages fluently.

He was appointed "definitor-general" for Rome for the Capuchins in 1596, and Pope Clement VIII assigned him the task of converting the Jews in the city. Beginning in 1599, Lawrence established Capuchin monasteries in modern Germany and Austria, furthering the Counter-Reformation and bringing many Protestants back to the Catholic faith. In 1601, he served as the imperial chaplain for the army of Rudolph II, Holy Roman Emperor and successfully recruited Philippe Emmanuel, Duke of Mercoeur to help fight against the Ottoman Turks. He then led the army during the capture of Székesfehérvár from the Ottoman Empire, armed only with a crucifix.

In 1602 he was elected vicar-general of the Capuchins, at that time the highest office in the order. He was elected again in 1605, but refused the office. He entered the service of the Holy See, becoming nuncio to Bavaria. After serving as nuncio to Spain, he retired to a monastery in 1618. He was recalled as a special envoy to the King of Spain regarding the actions of the Viceroy of Naples in 1619, and after finishing his mission, died on his birthday in Lisbon.

Backround

Born at Brindisi in 1559, the future Lawrence received the Italian baptismal name of Giulio Cesare—Julius Caesar. His father was Guglielmo de Rossi, a merchant, and his mother was Elisabetta Masella. Both were pious Catholics and their son gave early evidence of a religious vocation. He was educated under the Conventuals of Brindisi. Already a gifted speak by the age of six, he was consistently chosen to the annual children's sermon on the Baby Jesus during the Christmas festivities.

When Giulio was aged 12, his father died, and he was sent to Venice to with the clerics of St. Mark's Cathedral and under the supervision of one of his uncles. In 1575 he was received into the Order of Capuchins under the name of Brother Lorenzo and devoted himself to philosophical and theological studies at the University of Padua. Owing to his excellent memory, he mastered not only the principal European languages, but also most of the Semitic tongues. It was said he knew the entire original text of the Bible.

When still a deacon he preached the Lenten sermons in Venice. His gifts as an orator were so great that he was soon a called to all the principal cities of Italy to preach. His written sermons fill no less than eight folio volumes. His method of preaching was modeled after the great Franciscan missionaries, aiming primarily to reach people's hearts and ever mindful of the particular spiritual needs of his hearers.

From 1596 to 1602 he served as the Capuchin's "general definitor" in Rome, where Pope Clement VIII assigned him the task of preaching to the city's Jews, the Jewish population of the city having increased due to the pope's require the Jews of Italy to concentrate themselves in the ghettos of Rome and Ancona. Due in part to his knowledge of Hebrew, Larwence reportedly convinced a substantial number of the to covert. His success in Rome caused him to be called to several other European cities, where he also baptized numerous Jews.

At the same time he was commissioned to establish houses for his order in Germany and Austria. He faced serious challenges due to the progress of the Protestant Reformation, but succeeded in establishing monasteries at the provincial capitals of Vienna, Prague, and Graz.

At Prague in 1601 Lawrence was named chaplain of the Imperial army, which was then about to march against the Ottoman Turks. The Ottoman lead Mohammed III, since his accession in 1595, had conquered a large part of Hungary. The emperor, determined to prevent a further advance, sent Lawrence as his deputy to the German princes to obtain their cooperation. They responded to his appeal, and the Duke of Mercœur, who was also the Governor of Brittany, took command of the imperial army. With 18,000 men he prepared to attack 80,000 Turks and appealed to Lawrence for advice. Lawrence delivered a glowing speech tot he troops, inspiring them with confidence that they fought on the side of God. He then mounted on horseback and, crucifix in hand, took the lead of the army. Thus exposed to the enemy, the fact that he was not wounded was regarded as the result of miraculous protection. The city was finally taken, and the Turks lost 30,000 men. A second battle ensued, with Lawrence again in the lead. "Forward!" he reportedly cried, holding aloft the crucifix, "Victory is ours!" The Turks were again defeated, and the Duke of Mercœur attributed the honor of this double victory the help of God and the leadership of Lawrence of Brindisi.

On the strength of both his military and spiritual accomplishements, at the Chapuchin chapter (convention) of 1602 Lwarence was elected the order's vicar-general, the highest position in the Capuchin's constitution at the time. He quickly became an inspection tour that took him to Milan, Paris, Marseilles, and several cities of Spain. His reputation for holiness preceded him and people flocked to hear him preach and to receive his blessing.

His administration was perceived as great benefit to the order, and at the chapter of 1605 he offered a second term, which he declined to accept.

Having resigned his office of vicar-general in 1605, he was sent by the pope to evangelize Germany. He here confirmed the faith of the Catholics, brought back a great number to the practice of virtue, and converted many heretics. In controversies his vast learning always gave him the advantage, and, once he had won the minds of his hearers, his saintliness and numerous miracles completed their conversion. To protect the Faith more efficaciously in their states, the Catholic princes of Germany formed the alliance called the "Catholic League". Emperor Rudolph sent Lorenzo to Philip III of Spain to persuade him to join the League. Having discharged this mission successfully, the saintly ambassador received a double mandate by virtue of which he was to represent the interests of the pope and of Madrid at the court of Maximilian of Bavaria, head of the League. He was thus, much against his wishes, compelled to settle in Munich near Maximilian. Besides being nuncio and ambassador, Lorenzo was also commissary general of his order for the provinces of Tyrol and Bavaria, and spiritual director of the Bavarian army. He was also chosen as arbitrator in the dispute which arose between the princes, and it was in fulfillment of this rtle that, at the request of the emperor, he restored harmony between the Duke of Mantua and a German nobleman. In addition to all these occupations he undertook, with the assistance of several Capuchins, a missionary campaign throughout Germany, and for eight months travelled in Bavaria, Saxony, and the Palatinate.

Amid so many various undertakings Lorenzo found time for the practices of personal sanctification. And it is perhaps the greatest marvel of his life to have combined with duties so manifold anunusually intense inner life. In the practice of the religious virtues St. Lorenzo equals the greatest saints. He had to a high degree the gift of contemplation, and very rarely celebrated Holy Mass without falling into ecstasies. After the Holy Sacrifice, his great devotion was the Rosary and the Office of the Blessed Virgin. As in the case of St. Francis of Assisi, there was something poetical about his piety, which often burst forth into canticles to the Blessed Virgin. It was in Mary's name that he worked his miracles, and his favourite blessing was: "Nos cum prole pia benedicat Virgo Maria." Having withdrawn to the monastery of Caserta in 1618, Lorenzo was hoping to enjoy a few days of seclusion, when he was requested by the leading men of Naples to go to Spain and apprise Philip III of the conduct of Viceroy Ossuna. In spite of many obstacles raised by the latter, the saint sailed from Genoa and carried out his mission successfully. But the fatigues of the journey exhausted his feeble strength. He was unable to travel homeward, and after a few days of great suffering died at Lisbon in the native land of St. Anthony (22 July, 1619), as he had predicted when he set out on his journey. He was buried in the cemetery of the Poor Clares of Villafranca.

The process of beatification, several times interrupted by various circumstances, was concluded in 1783. The canonization took place on 8 December, 1881. With St. Anthony, St. Bonaventure, and Blessed John Duns Scotus, he is a Doctor of the Franciscan Order.

The known writings of St. Lorenzo of Brindisi comprise eight volumes of sermons, two didactic treatises on oratory, a commentary on Genesis, another on Ezechiel, and three volumes of religious polemics. Most of his sermons are written in Italian, the other works being in Latin. The three volumes of controversies have notes in Greek and Hebrew. [Note: In 1959 Pope John XXIII proclaimed St. Lorenzo da Brindisi a Doctor of the Universal Church. His feast is kept on 6 July.]

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Catholic Encyclopedia article (retrieved Aug 23, 2005)
• Capuchin Franciscan Friars of Australia biography (retrieved Aug 23, 2005)
• Patron Saints Index biography (retrieved Aug 23, 2005)
• A Homily by Lawrence of Brindisi

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