Saint Peter of Alcantara
![[Saint Peter holy card]](saintp31.jpg "15kb jpg old German holy card of Saint Peter, date unknown, artist unknown; please do not write to ask about the image")
- Memorial
- 19 October
- Profile
- Son of Peter Garavita, governor of the palace; his mother was a member of the noble family of Sanabia.
Studied grammar and philosophy at Alcantara and both civil and canon law at Salamanca University.
Franciscan at age 16 at Manjarez.
Founded the friary at Babajoz at age 20, and served as its superior.
Ordained in 1524 at age 25.
Noted preacher.
A recluse by nature, he living at the convent of Saint Onophrius, a remote location where he could study and pray between missions.
Franciscan provincial for Saint Gabriel in Estemadura in 1538.
Worked in Lisbon in 1541 to help reform the Order.
In 1555 he started the Alcantarine reforms, now known as the Strictest Obeservance.
Commissioner of his Order in Spain in 1556.
Provincial of his reformed Order in 1561.
Friend and confessor of Saint Teresa of Avila, and assisted her in 1559 during her work to reform her own Order.
Mystic and writer whose works were used by Saint Francis de Sales.
- Born
- 1499 at Alcantara, Estremadura, Spain
- Died
- 18 October 1562 at Estremadura, Spain of natural causes
- Beatified
- 18 April 1622 by Pope Gregory XV
- Canonized
- 28 April 1669 by Pope Clement IX
- Name Meaning
- rock
- Patronage
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Brazil (named by Pope Blessed Pius IX in 1862)
Estremadura Spain (named in 1962)
Extremadura Spain (named in 1962)
night watchmen
watchmen
- Additional Information
-
Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
Catholic Encyclopedia,
Catholic Online
For All The Saints, by Katherine Rabenstein
Lives of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler
Mater Dei Latin Mass Community,
New Catholic Dictionary
Our Sunday Visitor's Encyclopedia of Saints, by Matthew Bunson, Margaret Bunson, and Stephen Bunson
Tumacácori National Historical Park
- Translate
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- Readings
- He does much in the sight of God who does his best, be it ever so little.
- Saint Peter of Alcantara
No tongue can express the greatness of the love which Jesus Christ bears to our souls.
He did not wish that between Him and His servants there should be any other pledge than himself, to keep alive the remembrance of Him.
- Saint Peter of Alcantara