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| Blessed Bartolomeo Pucci, Intercede for us ! |
⛪ Saint of the Day : May 6
⛪ Born :
• Latter 13th century in Montepulciano, Tuscany, Italy
⛪ Died :
• 6 May 1330 in Montepulciano, Tuscany, Italy • Buried in the church of his monastery • Relics later enshrined in two urns in the church • Relics transferred to the church of San Agostino in 1930
Bartolomeo was born in Montepulciano in the second half of the thirteenth century. The Father, Puccio di Francesco, had the two names of his family of which we have news already in the twelfth century.
Therefore, the noble family married the daughter of Captain Tommaso del Pecora, Millia, from whom he had four children. We can imagine an ideal family that, although living in comfort, was attentive to helping the poor, especially in times of famine. In 1290, when the sons reached the age of majority, Bartholomew could embrace the religious vocation by entering the Order of Friars Minor of the convent of St. Francis. As a rich man he became poor, for the love of Christ, and if many admired him, he had to bear the contempt of those who considered him a madman. Above all, the boys, on the street, repeatedly made him the target of insults. Following his example, his wife later made a vow of chastity.
The humble Franciscan led the rest of his life between prayers, visions of the Madonna and the angels. Considered by his fellow citizens an elected soul, he still worked some miracles. Fra Bartolomeo died, very old, on 6 May 1330. Buried in the church of the convent, the two keys of the casket, for centuries, were kept both by the guardian friar and by the descendants of his family. The relics were then transferred, in 1930, to the church of S. Agostino where they are still located. On June 24, 1880 Pope Leo XIII confirmed his cult "ab immemorabili". The example of Blessed Bartholomew is singular, in fact he conciliated during his life the different vocations of man: of spouse, of parent and of religious consecrated to God.