Saint Michael de Sanctis
Stored in Cargo: Saint Michael de Sanctis
| Saint Michael de Sanctis | |
| Feast Day | April 10 |
|---|---|
| Liturgical Class | |
| Patronage | Cancer patients, Vic (Catalonia), purity |
| Birthplace | Vic, Catalonia, Crown of Aragon (now Spain) |
| Death Place | Valladolid, Crown of Castile (now Spain) |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes (fever and exhaustion) |
| Primary Shrine | Church of San Nicolás, Valladolid, Spain |
Saint Michael de Sanctis, born on September 29, 1591, in Vic, Catalonia, was a Discalced Trinitarian friar whose austere life and mystical ecstasies marked him as a saint of purity and devotion. Orphaned by 6, he rejected a merchant’s apprenticeship to pursue religious life, joining the Trinitarians at 12 and later the stricter Discalced branch in 1607, ordained a priest by 1615. Known for his Eucharistic fervor—often levitating in rapture during Mass—he served as superior in Valladolid, guiding his order with humility despite frail health. He died on April 10, 1625, at 33, from fever and exhaustion, his sanctity affirmed by miracles during and after his life, leaving a legacy of spiritual intensity in 17th-century Spain.
Canonized in 1862 by Pope Pius IX, Michael’s feast day, April 10, honors his holiness and intercessory power, with his incorrupt body enshrined in Valladolid’s Church of San Nicolás, a pilgrimage site. Patron of cancer patients (from posthumous cures), Vic, and purity, his life—chronicled in Trinitarian records—reflects a rare blend of mysticism and discipline. His levitations and healings, witnessed by contemporaries, amplify his cult, inspiring devotion for his childlike faith and redemptive focus, rooted in the Trinitarian mission to ransom captives.
Biography
Birth
Saint Michael de Sanctis was born on September 29, 1591, in Vic, Catalonia, Crown of Aragon, to Juan Argemir and Margarita de Sanctis, modest townsfolk. Named Miguel Argemir Mitjans, his birth coincided with Michaelmas, hinting at his destiny. Vic’s medieval charm framed his early years.
Orphaned by his father at 3 and mother at 6, Michael’s childhood was marked by loss. Born in a Catalonia torn by war and faith, his path soon turned to God.
Early Life
Michael’s youth was shaped by hardship after losing his parents; at 6, he worked briefly for a merchant uncle but fled at 12 to join the Trinitarians in Barcelona, drawn by their mission to free captives. Professing vows in 1607 with the Discalced Trinitarians in Madrid, he embraced austerity, fasting and praying with fervor. By 15, his piety—kneeling hours before the Eucharist—drew notice.
Sent to Alcalá and Baeza for study, he was ordained a priest in 1615 at 24. His early life of orphanhood and zeal forged a mystic destined for sainthood.
Occupation
Michael’s occupation began as a Trinitarian friar, taking vows in 1607 and ordained in 1615. He served as a priest, preaching and celebrating Mass, often in ecstasy—levitating or glowing, as witnesses claimed. Elected superior of Valladolid’s monastery in 1622, he led with humility despite frail health from rigorous penances.
His work centered on prayer and guidance within the Discalced Trinitarians, a reform branch focused on poverty and redemption. Michael’s occupation was a life of mystical service, ending in Valladolid.
Vocation
Michael’s vocation emerged at 12, when he chose the Trinitarians over worldly prospects, inspired by their redemptive charism. Joining the Discalced branch in 1607, he pursued purity and Eucharistic devotion, experiencing visions and ecstasies—once levitating during Mass, awing onlookers. His call deepened as superior, mentoring friars with gentle rigor.
His vocation peaked in Valladolid, where he died in 1625, a “living saint” to his peers. Michael’s life was a testament to Trinitarian ideals, blending contemplation with redemptive love.
Death
Saint Michael de Sanctis met his end on April 10, 1625, in Valladolid, dying of fever and exhaustion at 33 in the Discalced Trinitarian monastery. Worn by fasting and illness—prophesied in a vision—he received last rites, dying peacefully with a crucifix in hand. Buried in the monastery church (now San Nicolás), his body was found incorrupt in 1631.
His death drew crowds, with miracles reported at his tomb. Michael’s passing closed a brief, radiant life, swiftly venerated for its holiness.
Significant events
- Joined the Trinitarians at 12, 1603.
- Professed vows with the Discalced Trinitarians, 1607.
- Ordained priest in 1615.
- Died on April 10, 1625, in Valladolid.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Vic, Catalonia, Crown of Aragon (now Spain)
Death location: Valladolid, Crown of Castile (now Spain)
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Parishes
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Canonization
Servant of God
The process began in 1625 in Valladolid, with Bishop Juan de la Sal opening inquiries post-death, spurred by miracles and his incorrupt body, formalized later.
Venerable
Declared Venerable on May 13, 1758, by Pope Benedict XIV, recognizing his heroic virtue after Trinitarian testimony, no miracle required then.
Beatification
Beatified on May 24, 1779, by Pope Pius VI in Rome, after the 1778 healing of a blind woman in Catalonia via prayers to Michael, verified by a commission.
Canonization
Canonized on June 8, 1862, by Pope Pius IX in Rome, following the 1861 cure of a paralyzed man in Valladolid after prayers with Michael’s relic, affirming his sanctity.
Miracles
Miracle for beatification
In 1778, a Catalan woman, blind for years, regained sight after a novena to Michael, confirmed by physicians as inexplicable. Approved in 1779, this miracle reflected his lifetime radiance, hastening his beatification.
Witnessed by her village, it tied to his Eucharistic glow. This cure solidified his intercessory fame.
Miracle for canonization
In 1861, a Valladolid man, paralyzed from a fall, walked after prayers with Michael’s relic at his tomb. Medical testimony verified the sudden cure, ratified in 1862, sealing his canonization with a second miracle.
This healing echoed Michael’s redemptive spirit, affirming his sainthood. It completed his path to universal veneration.
Other notable miracles
- Levitated during Mass, witnessed by friars. - Posthumous healings at his tomb, fueling early devotion.
Patronage
Saint Michael de Sanctis is the patron saint of cancer patients, Vic (Catalonia), and purity.
Feast day
The feast day of Saint Michael de Sanctis is celebrated on April 10.
Veneration
Saint Michael is venerated through prayers for healing and purity, centered at the Church of San Nicolás, Valladolid, where his incorrupt body rests. Depicted with a chalice or Trinitarian cross, his cult thrives in Catalonia and among Trinitarians. His feast inspires devotion to the Eucharist, with his mystical life—levitations and all—captured in hagiographies.
Books
Written about the saint
- No widely available standalone modern books; his life is in Trinitarian records and "Lives of the Saints."
Written by the saint
- No writings by Saint Michael survive.