September 10
Saints of the Day
 

Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, 1245-1305
Italian Augustinian monk with visions of Purgatory, miracle-worker, resurrected over 100 children, Patron of Holy Souls in Purgatory, and, with St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church. The two arms incorrupt.

 Worked as a peacemaker in Tolentino, a city torn by civil war. Preached every day, wonder-worker and healer, and visited prisoners. He always told those he helped, "Say nothing of this." Received visions, including images of Purgatory, which friends ascribed to his lengthy fasts. Had a great devotion to the recently dead, praying for the souls in Purgatory as he traveled around his parish, and often late into the night.

    The "Seven Tolentine Masses" come after an apparition of Virgin Mary who told him to offer them for the Souls of Purgatory. In the first Mass he had a vision of thousands of people in Purgatory suffering horrible torments. In the the seventh Mass he had the same vision but the thousands of people were in Heaven, very joyful singing the glories of God

    Once, when severely ill, he had a vision of Mary, Augustine and Monica. They told him to eat a certain type of roll that had been dipped in water. Cured, he began healing others by administering bread over which he recited Marian prayers. The rolls became known as Saint Nicholas Bread, and are still distributed at his shrine.

     Holy Mass and Purgatory

     Reported to have resurrected over one hundred dead children, including several who had drowned together.
    Legend says that the devil once beat Nicholas with a stick; the stick was displayed for years in the his church.
    A vegetarian, Nicholas was once served a roasted fowl; he made the sign of the cross over it, and it flew out a window.
    Nine passengers on ship going down at sea once asked Nicholas' aid; he appeared in the sky, wearing the black Augustinian habit, radiating golden light, holding a lily in his left hand; with his right hand he quelled the storm.
    An apparition of the saint once saved the burning palace of the Doge of Venice by throwing a piece of blessed bread on the flames.

    Three hundred and one miracles were recognized during the process.
    His tomb has become renowned by many more, despite the fact that his relics have been lost, save for the two arms from which blood still exudes when the Church is menaced by a great danger. This occurred, for example, when the island of Cyprus was taken over by infidels in 1570.
    Like Saint Joseph, virginal father of Jesus, has been declared a Patron of the Universal Church.

Born 1245 at Sant'Angelo, March of Ancona, diocese of Fermo, Italy

Died 10 September 1305 at Tolentino, Italy following a long illness; relics rediscovered at Tolentino in 1926; in previous times they were known exude blood when the Church was in danger

Canonized 5 June (Pentecost) 1446 by Pope Eugene IV; over 300 miracles were recognized by the Congregation

Additional Information

http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintn07.htm
http://www.magnificat.ca/cal/engl/09-10.htm

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