Francis Solanus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Saint Francis Solanus | |
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| Wonder Worker of the New World | |
| Born | 10 March 1549, Andalusia, Spain |
| Died | 14 July 1610, Lima, Peru |
| Beatified | 20 June 1675 by Pope Clement X |
| Canonized | 27 December 1726 by Pope Benedict XIII |
| Feast | July 14 |
| Patronage | Argentina; Bolivia; Chile; Paraguay; Peru |
Francis Solanus ((Spanish) Francisco Solano) (10 March 1549 – 14 July 1610) was a Spanish missionary in South America, belonging to of the Order of Friars Minor.
[edit] Biography
Francis Solanus was born Montilla, in the Diocese of Córdoba, Spain. He had distinguished parents named Mateo Sanchez Solano and Anna Ximenes. When Francis turned twenty years old, he joined the Franciscan Order at Montilla. Several years later he was sent by his superiors to the convent of Arifazza as master of novices. He sailed from Spain to the Americas in 1589 where he went to Peru via a ship on the Pacific side of the Panamanian isthmus. For twenty years he worked at evangelizing the vast regions of Tucuman and Paraguay.
He had a skill for languages and succeeded at learning many of the regions' native tongues in a fairly short period. It is claimed that he could also address tribes of different tongues in one language yet be understood by them all. Further, he filled the office of custos of the convents of his order in Tucuman and Paraguay. After that came his lection to guardian of the Franciscan convent in Lima, Peru. (Among friars the names are reversed. Hence a group of men live in what is called a convent, while women live in a monastery).
In 1610 it is said he predicted the devastating 1618 earthquake of Trujillo. He is also said to have foretold his own death, which occurred in 1610 at Lima, Peru. St. Francis was beatified by Pope Clement X, in 1675, and canonized by Benedict XIII, in 1726. His feast is kept throughout the Franciscan Order on July 24.
