Egidio Maria of Saint Joseph
Encyclopedia
Egidio Maria of Saint Joseph (1729–1812), born Francis Anthony Postillo, was an Italian Catholic
lay brother canonised by Pope John Paul II
.
, Apulia
, on 16 November 1729. Owing to a lack of education, he was unable to become a Catholic priest and served instead as a lay brother in the city of Naples
. At the local monastery, he aided the sick and socially excluded.
Postillo died in Naples on 7 February 1812.
in 1888, and canonised by Pope John Paul II
in 1996 as Egidio Maria (Giles Mary) of Saint Joseph Francis Anthony Postillo.
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
lay brother canonised by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
.
Biography
Francis Postillo was born in TarantoTaranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
, Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
, on 16 November 1729. Owing to a lack of education, he was unable to become a Catholic priest and served instead as a lay brother in the city of Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. At the local monastery, he aided the sick and socially excluded.
Postillo died in Naples on 7 February 1812.
Canonisation
Postillo was beatified by Pope Leo XIIIPope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
in 1888, and canonised by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
in 1996 as Egidio Maria (Giles Mary) of Saint Joseph Francis Anthony Postillo.