Saint Gerard Majella

Saint Gerard Majella

Born: April 6, 1726 in Muro Lucano, Italy

Died: October 16, 1755 in Materdomini, Italy

Beatified: January 29, 1893 by Pope Leo XIII

Canonized: December 11, 1904 by Pope Pius X

Feast day: October 16

Patronage: Children, unborn children, childbirth; mothers, expectant mothers, falsely accused people, lay brothers, tennis, football, Muro Lucano, Italy

Gerard Majella, C.Ss.R., was born on April 6, 1726 in Muro Lucano, Italy. He was an Italian lay brother of the Congregation of the Redeemer, better known as the Redemptorists.

His intercession is sought for children, unborn children, women in childbirth, mothers, expectant mothers, motherhood, the falsely accused, good confessions and lay brothers.

Gerard joined the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer in 1749, an order focused on preaching the word of God to the poor.

He worked at many jobs in the mission and became well known among the peasants of the Neapolitan region. Gerard was credited with several miracles, such as reviving a boy who had fallen off a cliff. He was also said to have the power of bilocation, to be in two distinct places at one time, and he could reportedly read souls.

Gerard Majella died at age 29 from tuberculosis on October 16, 1755 in Materdomini, Italy. He was beatified on January 29, 1893, by Pope Leo XIII and canonized a saint on December 11, 1904 by Pope Saint Pius X.

Source: Wikipedia