Saint of the Day – 25 July – Blessed Pietro Corradini OFM (1435–1490) Priest

Saint of the Day – 25 July – Blessed Pietro Corradini OFM (1435–1490) Priest of the Franciscan Friars Minor, Confessor, Preacher, Spiritual Director – born 1435 in Mogliano, Macerata, Italy and died during the night of 24 to 25 July 1490, aged 55, near Fermo, Italy after a brief illness.   Pietro and a great devotion to the Holy Mother and constantly taught love of her.   Fr Pietro served in several leadership positions within his Order which bought him into contact with the likes of St James of the Marches (his life: https://anastpaul.com/2019/11/28/saint-of-the-day-28-november-saint-james-of-the-marches-ofm-1391-1476/ ) and St Camilla Battista da Varano – (her life here: https://anastpaul.com/2020/05/31/saint-of-the-day-31-may-saint-camilla-battista-da-varano-osc-1458-1524/ ).

Pietro Corradini was born in 1435 in Macerata into a prominent household.   When he was only thirteen years old he was graced with a vision.   God showed Peter the whole world in ruins.   Then God showed him that the world would be rescued by a single monk.  The vision is reminiscent of Christ’s request to St Francis: “Francis, rebuild my Church.”    How can a single man or a small group of men and women have such an impact?    It defies common sense and the ways of the world.

Perhaps Blessed Peter was mindful of this, or perhaps his well-off family pushed him into university but in either event, Peter’s life took a more practical turn and he achieved his doctorate in law.    He seemed poised to become a successful man of the world until he experienced a deep conversion upon listening to the sermon of a visiting Franciscan.    Pietro immediately approached the Preacher and asked to be admitted as a Franciscan.

He joined the Order of Friars Minor in 1467 and was later Ordained to the Priesthood.   He became a travelling Preacher in the Marche region, perhaps always zealously aiming to be the monk of his dream and save the world.   He preached with immense power of his love for Christ and His Church and the dire need of the conversion of soul.

Much later he sent to Crete where he served as a Commissioner for the entire Order and advisor and collaborator of St James of the Marches who selected Corradini to be his protégé.

Fr Pietro was also a friend, as well as, both the Confessor and the Spiritual Director of St Camilla Battista da Varano and to to her father. Fr Pietro preached a Crusade against the Ottoman Empire and on three occasions served s the as the Franciscan Provincial for the Marche region.   His first period of administration was in 1477 followed with appointments in 1483 and 1489.   He also served as a Franciscan Representative to Rome in 1474.

He became ill in Camerino and immediately requested the Viaticum before he died, which occurred just after midnight on 25 July 1490.

The bells for the Te Deum during the midnight office rung when he died.   St Camilla Da Varano presented a eulogy at the graveyard.

The Beatification process commenced not too long after Fr Pietro’s death and culminated on 10 August 1760 after Pope Clement XIII issued a formal decree that approved Corradini’s local ‘cultus’ thus naming him Blessed.

The image below is of Blessed Peter at the Holy House of Loreto, communing with the Blessed Virgin and the Christ Child.