May 4
Saint Peregrine Laziosi
A Servite friar traditionally invoked by people facing cancer and other serious illness.
- Patronage
- people with cancer, the seriously ill
- Era
- Medieval
- Themes
- healingtrust
From opposition to religious life
Peregrine Laziosi was born in Forlì, Italy, around 1260–1265; accounts differ on the year. The Servite Order's account describes a young man who opposed the papacy and whose encounter with the forgiveness of Philip Benizi changed the direction of his life. He entered the Servite Order and later served in his home town, where he became known for prayer, penance, and care for the poor and sick.
Illness and devotion
Servite tradition recounts that Peregrine suffered from cancer in a leg and was healed after a vision of Christ crucified. This is the religious account behind his association with people affected by cancer. He died in 1345 and was canonized in 1726. The Servite Friars list his liturgical feast on May 4.
Praying with his example
Devotion to Peregrine gives people facing illness a way to express fear, hope, and trust in God. His story is an invitation to accompany those who suffer. It is not a prediction about the outcome of another person's illness.
Sources and references
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