St. Berard and Companions (d. 1220) Preaching the gospel is often dangerous work. Leaving one’s homeland
and adjusting to new cultures, governments and languages is difficult
enough; but martyrdom sometimes caps all the other sacrifices. In 1219 with the blessing of St. Francis, Berard left Italy with
Peter, Adjute, Accurs, Odo and Vitalis to preach in Morocco. En route
in Spain Vitalis became sick and commanded the other friars to
continue their mission without him. They tried preaching in Seville, then in Muslim hands, but made no
converts. They went on to Morocco where they preached in the
marketplace. The friars were immediately apprehended and ordered to
leave the country; they refused. When they began preaching again, an
exasperated sultan ordered them executed. After enduring severe
beatings and declining various bribes to renounce their faith in Jesus
Christ, the friars were beheaded by the sultan himself on January 16,
1220. These were the first Franciscan martyrs. When Francis heard of their
deaths, he exclaimed, "Now I can truly say that I have five Friars
Minor!" Their relics were brought to Portugal where they prompted a
young Augustinian canon to join the Franciscans and set off for
Morocco the next year. That young man was Anthony of Padua. These five
martyrs were canonized in 1481.
and adjusting to new cultures, governments and languages is difficult
enough; but martyrdom sometimes caps all the other sacrifices. In 1219 with the blessing of St. Francis, Berard left Italy with
Peter, Adjute, Accurs, Odo and Vitalis to preach in Morocco. En route
in Spain Vitalis became sick and commanded the other friars to
continue their mission without him. They tried preaching in Seville, then in Muslim hands, but made no
converts. They went on to Morocco where they preached in the
marketplace. The friars were immediately apprehended and ordered to
leave the country; they refused. When they began preaching again, an
exasperated sultan ordered them executed. After enduring severe
beatings and declining various bribes to renounce their faith in Jesus
Christ, the friars were beheaded by the sultan himself on January 16,
1220. These were the first Franciscan martyrs. When Francis heard of their
deaths, he exclaimed, "Now I can truly say that I have five Friars
Minor!" Their relics were brought to Portugal where they prompted a
young Augustinian canon to join the Franciscans and set off for
Morocco the next year. That young man was Anthony of Padua. These five
martyrs were canonized in 1481.
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