Saint of the Day – 30 August – St Fantinus (c927-1000) Confessor, Abbot of San Mercurius, Ascetic, Hermit, Missionary, Preacher, Spiritual Adviser and Miracle-worker. Born in Calabria in Italy in c927and died in Greece at around year 1000, Also known as – Fantinus of Calabria, Fantinus the Younger,
Fantino…
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Thessalonica, St Fantinus, Confessor, who suffered much from the Saracens, was driven from his monastery in which he had lived in great abstinence. After having brought many to the ways of salvation, he rested at last at an advanced age.”
Born in Calabria in a locality described as being the “closest to Sicily” in its customs and appearance. Fantinus’ parents were named Giorgio and Vriena.
Fantinus was introduced as a child, to Saint Elias, a renowned cave-dwelling Hermit. His religious education was entrusted to Elias, leading Fantinus to become a Monk at the age of thirteen and working as a cook and as the doorman in the Monastery
At the age of thirty three, he became a Hermit in the region of Mount Mercurion in the north of Calabria. There, many Monasteries and Hermitages had been established under the Basilian rule. Fantinus lived a life of extreme asceticism, eating only raw vegetables and occupying much of his time copying manuscripts. He also experienced a vision of Heaven and Hell.
Fantinus lived both as a Hermit and as an Abbot. He subsequently convinced his aged parents, as well as his two brothers, Luke and Cosmas, and sister, Caterina, to enter the monastic life.
When he became a Hermit, he left his brother Lucas in charge of the Monastery he had founded. Though a Hermit, he often returned from the wild in order to guide and teach the disciples, who desired his spiritual counsel.
The Monastery he founded named San Mercurius, was destroyed by Muslim raiders during Fantinus’ lifetime. But Fantinus was told by an Angel to preach in Greece. He left Calabria with two disciples, Vitalis and Nicephorus. During the voyage, the ship ran out of drinking water. Fantinus made the Sign of the Cross over a container filled with seawater and miraculously converted it into drinkable water.
Fantinus visited Corinth, Athens and Larissa, where he lived near the sepulcher of Saint Achillius of Larissa. He lived for four months in a Monastery dedicated to Saint Menas near Thessalonica and then lived outside of its walls. In Thessalonica itself, he cured the sick and caused a corrupt Judge to repent of his sins. Fantinus was also honoured for his intercession in preventing a violent invasion of the City.
Fantinus died in Greece.
Saint Fantinus died around the year 1000, after embracing and blessing the Monks attending him and was buried with great solemnity in the place of his choosing. The Saint’s Vita concludes with a series of miracles he performed after his death.
AnaStpaul 