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Also known as
il Santorello; Pietro Fioretti; Peter Fioretti; Crispinus von Viterbo;
Crispinus of Viterbo
Profile
Son of Ubald and Marsha. His father died when Pietro was very young, and
his mother consecrated the boy to the Blessed Virgin Mary when he was five
years old. Pietro developed an early devotion to Our Lady, calling her his
other mother, and displayed such a simple and honest piety that led his
neighbors to call him il Santorello (the little saint). He worked as a
shoemaker for the uncle who provided for his education.
The sight of a procession of Friars Minor Capuchin woke within Pietro the
realization that he was called to religious life. He became a Franciscan
lay brother on 22 July 1693, taking the name Crispin because of his craft.
Cook at the Viterbo Capuchin monastery. Transferred to, and worked
tirelessly at, Capuchin houses in Tolfa, Rome, and Albano. He developed a
devotion to, and modeled himself after, Saint Felix of Cantalice.
Crispin's simple, humble holiness brought many local lay people to him for
spiritual guidance. As word of his wisdom spread, his visitors became
priests, bishops, then cardinals, and even a pope. Crispin was noted for
paying little attention to the rank or status of a visitor, either high or
low, but concentrating on talking to them all as equal children of the
same God.
Reputed to work miracles, heal by touch, and prophesy. The cause for his
canonization began in 1923. He was the first saint canonized by Pope John
Paul II.
Born
13 November 1668 at Viterbo, Italy as Pietro Fioretti
Died
19 May 1750 of pneumonia at the friary of the Immaculate Conception on
Rome's Via Veneto; entombed under a side altar in the Capuchin church at
Rome; body found incorrupt in 1959
Beatified
7 September 1806 by Pope Pius VII
Canonized
20 June 1982 by Pope John Paul II
Readings
Let us love God who deserves it!
-Saint Crispin
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