Blessed Gonzalo of Lagos

lessed Gonzalo of Lagos put his gifts at the service of the community and the worship of God by adorning liturgical books.

Gonzalo was born about the year 1360 in Lagos, in the district of Algarve, in southern Portugal. After visiting the church of the

 Augustinians in Lisbon, he decided to enter religious life, rather than to continue in his father’s footsteps as a fisherman. He entered the Augustinian community in Lisbon in 1380 and became a distinguished theologian of the Augustinian Order, always refusing, however, to accept the title of “Master,” or to accept any academic degree. He devoted his energies to preaching and the religious instruction of children and the uneducated. He was also an accomplished artist and used this talent in the decoration of many liturgical books for the monasteries of Lisbon and Santarem.

Gonzalo served as religious superior of various monasteries in Portugal, both the most humble and the most important. When he was prior of the monastery of Torres Vedras, the community was so poor that the bishop provided the food for the friars, which Gonzalo would carry home on his back until, eventually, the bishop became aware of this, and began to provide him with money instead of provisions.

Gonzalo died at Torres Vedras on 15 October 1422, where he had served for the last ten years of his life. In his native town he is patron of mariners and fishermen, and in 1960 ­ the 600th anniversary of his birth he was declared patron of youth in the diocese of Faro, to which Torres Vedras belongs. His body now rests in the cathedral of Faro. He was beatified by Pope Pius VI on May 23, 1778.

The Augustinian Family observes Blessed Gonzalo’s memorial on 14 October.

Rotelle, John, Book of Augustinian Saints, Augustinian Press 2000

Blessed Gonzalo of Lagos by Mario Ferrari, Rome, Italy.

Related Post

SAINT OF THE DAY

• ⛪ Saint Luigi Scrosoppi of Udine
• ⛪ Saint John Payne: Martyr of England’s Faith
• ⛪ Saint Francis Xavier
• Saint Nicetius of Lyon: A Holy Bishop Who Trusted God
• ⛪ Blessed Zofia Czeska-Maciejowska: Mother of Mercy and Education
• ⛪ Saint Lodovico Pavoni: Apostle of Youth and Work
• ⛪ Blessed Giuseppe Girotti: A Martyr of Charity and Truth
• ⛪ Blessed Karl of Austria
• ⛪ Saint Mary of Egypt: From Sinner to Desert Saint
• ⛪ Saint Hugh of Châteauneuf: A Holy Shepherd of Faith
• ⛪ Saint of the Day : January
• ⛪ Saint of the Day : June
• ⛪ Saint Simon Marie Antoine Just Ranfer De Bretenieres - Priest
• ⛪ Saint Sylvester of Assisi
• ⛪ Saint Conon the Gardener
• ⛪ Saint John of the Cross
• ⛪ Saint Peter of Pappacarbone - Bishop of Policastro
• ⛪ Saint Adrian and Natalia of Nicomedia - Martyrs
• ⛪ Saint Casimir of Poland - Confessor
• ⛪ Saint Luke Casali - Monk & Priest
• ⛪ Saint Angela of the Cross Guerrero y González - Virgin and Foundress
• ⛪ Saint Chad of Mercia
• ⛪ Saint Katharine Drexel - Foundress
• ⛪ Saint Agnes of Bohemia - Princess, Philanthropist and Abbess
• ⛪ Blessed Giovanna Maria Bonomo - Nun, Mystic

THE SAINTS

• ⛪ Saint Francis Xavier
• ⛪ St. Casimir
• ⛪ Saint Remi or Remigius
• ⛪ Saint John of God - Confessor, Founder of the Order of Charity
• St. Magdalene of Nagasaki, O.S.A.
• Blessed Magdalene Albrici
• Blessed Lucy Bufalari of Amelia
• Blessed Josephine Mary of Saint Agnes
• St. John Stone, O.S.A.
• Saint John of Sahagun
• Blessed John of Rieti
• Blessed John the Good
• Blessed John and Peter Becchetii of Fabriano
• Blessed Jerome of Recanati
• Blessed John and Peter Becchetii of Fabriano
• Blessed James of Cerqueto, O.S.A.
• Blessed Helen of Udine
• Blessed Gregory Celli
• Blessed Gratia of Kotor
• Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe
• Blessed Frederick of Regensburg
• Saint Ezekiel Moreno
• Blessed Clement of Osimo
• Saint Clare of the Cross of Montefalco