May 3, 2015

β›ͺ Blessed Tommaso Acerbis - Capuchin Friar

β›ͺ Saint of the Day : May 3

β›ͺ Other Names :
β€’ Tommaso of Olera β€’ Thomas of Olera

β›ͺ Born :
β€’ 1563 in Olera, Bergamo, Italy

β›ͺ Died :
β€’ 3 May 1631 in Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria of natural causes β€’ Buried in the crypt of the chapel of Our Lady at the local Capuchin church in Innsbruck

Blessed Tommaso Acerbis, once an illiterate shepherd, became an influential speaker and writer whose influence has never ceased to exist.  The ranks of those inspired by his writings have included recent Popes.  Blessed Tommaso, born at Olera, Italy, in 1563, came from an impoverished family.  At the age of 17 years he, a shepherd, joined the Capuchin Friars at Verona on September 12, 1580.  Then he learned to read and write.  On July 5, 1584, Acerbis made his final profession.  He remained at the abbey at Verona until 1605, when he departed for Vicenza, where he lived until 1617.  Then our saint served as clerk at Rovereto for about a year before transferring to Padua, where he was porter in 1618-1619.  Acerbis spent the rest of his life at Innsbruck, Austria.  Throughout his life our saint helped the poor, visited the sick, and strengthened people in their faith.  Our saint also extolled the virtues of Roman Catholicism and thereby held off an encroachment of Lutheranism at Innsbruck.

Pope John Paul II declared Acerbis a Venerable in 1987.  Pope Francis made our saint a Blessed in 2013.

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