Wednesday, February 8, 2006
St. Jerome Emiliani

Saint Jerome Emiliani, Patron of the Orphans, by Flavia Ghelardi, photo by the Somascan Brothers in Brazil

Optional Memorial (1969 Calendar): February 8
Double (1955 Calendar): July 20

St. Jerome Emiliani was born in Venice in 1486 to Angelo and Eleanor Mauroceni Emiliani. After his father's death, Jerome ran away from his home. He became a soldier in Venice and was captured on August 27, 1511, by Venetian forces. While imprisoned in a dungeon, he prayed to Our Lady for help and was miraculously freed by her apparition. St. Jerome hung his chains on a church wall as an offering. He converted to Christianity after his dissolute youth.

St. Jerome Emiliani lived the rest of his life dedicated to serving the poor, the sick, and abandoned children. In 1518, he was ordained as a priest. In 1532 he founded a congregation (Somaschi) that was dedicated to educating children, especially orphans. St. Jerome Emiliani founded six orphanages, a shelter for penitent prostitutes, and a hospital. He died in 1537 of the plague while serving the afflicted. Later, in 1928 Pope Pius XI named him the universal patron of orphans and abandoned children.

Prayer:

O God, the Father of mercies, grant, that by the merits and intercession of blessed Jerome, whom Thou wast pleased to make a helper and father of orphans, we may faithfully keep the spirit of adoption whereby we are Thy sons both in name and in deed. Through our Lord.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

3 comment(s):

del_button February 8, 2008 at 9:16 AM
Unknown said...

Dear Matthew,

GRACE AND PEACE!

I am Rev. Fr. Abraham P. Arganiosa, CRS a Filipino priest belonging in the Order of the Clerics Regular of Somascha or more popularly known as THE SOMASCAN FATHERS. We are the Congregation founded by St. Jerome Emiliani.

Thank you very much for sharing about the life of our founder here in your blog. I love your blog.

I do not call myself a 'Traditional' priest but one who is very loyal to the Pope and the Holy Mother Church. At present I am preparing myself for the celebration of the TLM 1962 Missal.

I have my own blog if you wish to visit. http://thesplendorofthechurch.blogspot.com/

God bless you!

del_button September 21, 2009 at 2:07 PM
Anonymous said...

I chose saint Jerome Emiliani as a Saint Report at my church after i was done i learned alot about him from this page.

del_button February 6, 2018 at 1:20 PM
jf said...

Dear Father glad to hear that you support our Holy Father and are working with the poor, will pray for you o that Our Lady will continue to guide you, protect you and watch over you as you serve God's people

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