Saint Berardes of Morocco

Also known as

• Berardes of Carbio
• Berard of….
• Berardo of….
• Beraldus of….

Memorial

• 16 January

Profile

Born to the Italian nobility. Franciscan monk accepted into the order by Saint Francis of Assisi himself in 1213. Priest. Preacher. Spoke Arabic. Leader of a party (with Peter, Otho, Accursius, and Adjutus) sent by Saint Francis to preach to Muslims in Morocco. Upon arrival, they began preaching in the market place. They were immediately arrested and ordered to stop. When the group continued to preach, they were beaten. When they refused to renouce Christ, the sultan beheaded them. They are believed to be the first Franciscan martyrs. Upon viewing their relics, young Anthony of Padua was moved to join the Franciscans and set off to preach in Morocco.

Born

• at Carbio, Umbria, Italy

Died

• beheaded on 16 January 1220 in Morocco
• relics were ransomed, and are now in the monastery of the Holy Cross in Coimbra, Portugal

Canonized

• 1481 by Pope Sixtus IV

Additional Information

• Abbé Stéphane Ansart
• Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
• Catholic Encyclopedia
• Kirken i Norge
• Lives of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler
• New Catholic Dictionary
• Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
• Roman Martyrology
• Santi e Beati
• Wikipedia

MLA Citation

• “Saint Berard of Morocco”. Saints.SQPN.com. 15 January 2011. Web. 25 May 2013. <http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-berard-of-morocco/>