Saint of the Day – 3 April – St Benedict of Palermo OFM (1526-1589) Lay Friar

Saint of the Day – 3 April – St Benedict of Palermo OFM (1526-1589) Lay Friar of the Order of Friars Minor of the Observance, Confessor, spiritual counsellor, Apostle of the poor and needy, graced with the gift of healing the sick. Born as Benedetto Manasseri in1526 in San Fratello, Messina, Sicily and died on 4 April 1589 (aged 62–63) in Palermo, Sicily of natural causes. Patronages – African missions and Missionaries to Africa, Black Catholic Americans, African Americans, black people, Palermo, San Fratello. Also known as – Benedict the Moor, Benedict the Black, Benedict the African, Benedetto. His body is incorrupt. Additional Memorial – 4 April. St Benedict’s gifts for prayer, his love for the Blessed Virgin and the Infant Jesus and the wisdom displayed in his guidance of souls, earned him, a reputation for holiness, throughout Sicily.   Following the example of St Francis, Benedict kept seven 40-day fasts throughout the year. He also slept only a few hours each night.

Benedict was born to Cristoforo and Diana Manasseri, Africans, who were taken as slaves in the early 16th Century to San Fratello, a small town near Messina, Sicily. They were given Italian names and later converted to Christianity.

Benedict’s parents were granted freedom for their son before his birth because of their “loyal service.” Like most peasants, Benedict did not attend any school and was illiterate. During his youth, he worked as a shepherd and was quick to give what he had earned to the poor.

When he was 21 years old, he was publicly insulted for the colour. of his skin His forbearance and silence was noted by the leader of an independent group of hermits on nearby Monte Pellegrino, who followed the Rule for Hermit life written by St Francis of Assisi.

Benedict was invited to join that community and shortly thereafter, he gave up all his earthly possessions and joined them. He served as the cook for the community and at the age of twenty-eight succeeded Jerome Lanze as the Superior of the group.

In 1564 Pope Pius IV disbanded independent communities of hermits, ordering them to attach themselves to an established religious Order, in this case, the Order of Friars Minor. As soon as Benedict was professed as an official Friar of the Franciscans, he was assigned to Palermo to the Franciscan Friary of St Mary of Jesus. He started there as the cook,but, showing the degree of his advancement in the spiritual life, he was soon appointed as the Master of Novices and later, as Guardian of the community, although he was a lay brother rather than a Priest and was illiterate.

Benedict accepted the promotion and successfully helped the Convent adopt a stricter version of the Franciscan Rule of life. He was widely respected for his deep, intuitive understanding of theology and Scripture and was often sought for counselling. He also had a reputation as a healer of the sick. Combined, these characteristics continued to draw many visitors to him. As he enjoyed cooking, he returned to kitchen duty in his later years.

Benedict died at the age of around 63 on the very day and hour which he had predicted. At the entrance of his cell in the Franciscan Friary of St Mary of Jesus, there is a plaque with the inscription: “Benedict was quickly invited to join that community, and shortly thereafter he gave up all his earthly possessions and joined them. He served as the cook for the community and at the age of twenty-eight succeeded Jerome Lanze as leader of the group.[3]

In 1564 Pope Pius IV disbanded independent communities of hermits, ordering them to attach themselves to an established religious Order, in this case, the Order of Friars Minor. Once a friar of the Order, Benedict was assigned to Palermo to the Franciscan Friary of St. Mary of Jesus. He started at the friary as a cook, but, showing the degree of his advancement in the spiritual life, he was soon appointed as the master of novices, and later as Guardian of the community, although he was a lay brother rather than a priest, and was illiterate.

Benedict accepted the promotion, and successfully helped the order adopt a stricter version of the Franciscan Rule of life. He was widely respected for his deep, intuitive understanding of theology and Scripture, and was often sought for counseling. He also had a reputation as a healer of the sick. Combined, these characteristics continued to draw many visitors to him. As he enjoyed cooking, he returned to kitchen duty in his later years.

Benedict died at the age of around 63 on the very day and hour which he had predicted. At the entrance of his cell in the Franciscan Friary of St Mary of Jesus, there is a plaque with the inscription: “This is the cell where Saint Benedict lived” with the dates of his birth and death – 1526 and 1589.

Upon his death, King Philip III of Spain ordered the construction of a magnificent tomb to house his remains, in the Friary Church. He was Beatified by Pope Benedict XIV in 1743 and Canonised in 1807 by Pope Pius VII. His body was found incorrupt during the Canonisation process.

Benedict is remembered for his patience and understanding when confronted with racial prejudice and taunts. He was declared a Patron Saint of Catholic African Americans, along with the Dominican lay brother, St Martin de Porres. In the United States, at least seven historically Black Catholic Parishes bear his name.