April 5
Saints of the Day

Saint Vincent Ferrer, 1350-1419
The Dominican from Valencia, Spain, great preacher with 51 resurrections, the "Angel of the Judgment.", deeply involved in the Great Schism with 3 Popes

    Today's problems of the Church are nothing compared with the Great Schism wit  3 Popes at the time Vincent. He was deeply involved with nthe solution of it.

    The Western Schism divided Christianity first between two, then three, popes. Clement VII lived at Avignon in France, Urban VI in Rome. Vincent was convinced the election of Urban was invalid (though Catherine of Siena was just as devoted a supporter of the Roman pope). In the service of Cardinal de Luna, he worked to persuade Spaniards to follow Clement. When Clement died, Cardinal de Luna was elected at Avignon and became Benedict XIII. Strangely, Vincent had no part in the Council of Constance, which ended the schism.

    One of the greatest preachers in the history of the Church with 30,000 Jewish and Moorish converts The message of his preaching was penance, the Last Judgment, and eternity, that's why he was known as the "Angel of Judgment"... and all his preaching accompany by many miracles. A total of 51 resurrections, the most of any Saint, followed by St. Patrick with 49 resurrections.

Born 1350 at Valencia, Spain

Died 5 April 1419 at Vannes, Brittany, France

Canonized 1458

Images Gallery of images of Saint Vincent [6 images, 105 kb]

Additional Information

http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0405.htm
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintv03.htm
http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintOfDay/default.asp?id=1344

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Readings

If you truly want to help the soul of your neighbor, you should approach God first with all your heart. Ask him simply to fill you with charity, the greatest of all virtues; with it you can accomplish what you desire. Saint Vincent Ferrer from On the Spiritual Life