Andrew Avellino
Encyclopedia
Saint Andrew Avellino (1521 – November 10, 1608) was an Italian
saint
. Born at Castronuovo, (today Castronuovo di Sant'Andrea
) a small town in Sicily
, his baptismal name was Lancelotto, which out of love for the cross he changed into Andrew when he entered the Order of Theatines.
. After receiving his elementary training in the school of Castronuovo, he was sent to Venice
to pursue a course in the humanities
and in philosophy
. Being a handsome youth, his chastity was often exposed to danger from female admirers, and to escape their importunities he took ecclesiastical tonsure
.
Hereupon he went to Naples
to study canon
and civil law
, obtained the degree of Doctor of Laws and was ordained priest
at the age of twenty-six. For some time he held the office of lawyer at the ecclesiastical court of Naples. One day, while pleading the cause of a friend, a lie
escaped his lips in the heat of argument. When, soon afterwards, his eyes fell upon the passage in the Bible
, "The mouth that beleith,killeth the soul."
The Archbishop of Naples
now commissioned him to reform a convent
at Naples, which by the laxity of its discipline had become a source of great scandal. By his own example and his untiring zeal he restored the religious discipline of the convent but not without many and great difficulties. Certain wicked men who were accustomed to have clandestine meetings with the nuns became exasperated at the saint's interference, and one night he was assaulted and severely wounded. He was brought to the monastery of the Theatines to recuperate. Here, however, he resolved to devote himself entirely to God and he entered the Order of Theatines, which had but recently been founded by St. Cajetan. On the vigil of the Assumption
he was invested, being then thirty-five years of age.
After completing his novitiate, he obtained permission to visit the tombs of the Apostles and the Martyrs at Rome
, and, upon his return was made master of novices. After holding this office ten years he was elected superior. His holy zeal for strict religious discipline, and for the purity of the clergy, as well as his deep humility and sincere piety induced the General of his Order to entrust him with the foundation of two new Theatine houses, one at Milan
, the other at Piacenza
. By his efforts many more Theatine houses rose up in various diocese of Italy. As superior of some of these new foundations he was so successful in converting sinners and heretics by his prudence in the direction of souls and by his eloquent preaching, that numerous disciples thronged around him, eager to be under his spiritual guidance. One of the most noteworthy of his disciples was Lorenzo Scupoli
, the author of that still popular book The Spiritual Combat. St. Charles Borromeo was an intimate friend of Avellino and sought his advice in the most important affairs of the Church. He also requested Avellino to establish a new Theatine house in Milan.
s, and visiting the sick, Avellino still had time to write some ascetical works. His letters were published in 1731, at Naples, in two volumes, and his other ascetical works, three years later in five volumes.
, and after devoutly receiving the Holy Viaticum, died the death of a saint at the age of eighty-eight. In 1624, only 16 years after his death, he was beatified by Pope Urban VIII
, and in 1712 was canonized by Pope Clement XI
.
of Naples and Sicily and invoked especially against a sudden death. His remains lie buried in the Church of St. Paul at Naples.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
. Born at Castronuovo, (today Castronuovo di Sant'Andrea
Castronuovo di Sant'Andrea
Castronuovo di Sant'Andrea is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata....
) a small town in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, his baptismal name was Lancelotto, which out of love for the cross he changed into Andrew when he entered the Order of Theatines.
Life
From his early youth he was a great lover of chastityChastity
Chastity refers to the sexual behavior of a man or woman acceptable to the moral standards and guidelines of a culture, civilization, or religion....
. After receiving his elementary training in the school of Castronuovo, he was sent to Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
to pursue a course in the humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
and in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. Being a handsome youth, his chastity was often exposed to danger from female admirers, and to escape their importunities he took ecclesiastical tonsure
Tonsure
Tonsure is the traditional practice of Christian churches of cutting or shaving the hair from the scalp of clerics, monastics, and, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, all baptized members...
.
Hereupon he went to Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
to study canon
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
and civil law
Civil law (legal system)
Civil law is a legal system inspired by Roman law and whose primary feature is that laws are codified into collections, as compared to common law systems that gives great precedential weight to common law on the principle that it is unfair to treat similar facts differently on different...
, obtained the degree of Doctor of Laws and was ordained priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
at the age of twenty-six. For some time he held the office of lawyer at the ecclesiastical court of Naples. One day, while pleading the cause of a friend, a lie
Lie
For other uses, see Lie A lie is a type of deception in the form of an untruthful statement, especially with the intention to deceive others....
escaped his lips in the heat of argument. When, soon afterwards, his eyes fell upon the passage in the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, "The mouth that beleith,killeth the soul."
The Archbishop of Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
now commissioned him to reform a convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
at Naples, which by the laxity of its discipline had become a source of great scandal. By his own example and his untiring zeal he restored the religious discipline of the convent but not without many and great difficulties. Certain wicked men who were accustomed to have clandestine meetings with the nuns became exasperated at the saint's interference, and one night he was assaulted and severely wounded. He was brought to the monastery of the Theatines to recuperate. Here, however, he resolved to devote himself entirely to God and he entered the Order of Theatines, which had but recently been founded by St. Cajetan. On the vigil of the Assumption
Assumption of Mary
According to the belief of Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life...
he was invested, being then thirty-five years of age.
After completing his novitiate, he obtained permission to visit the tombs of the Apostles and the Martyrs at Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, and, upon his return was made master of novices. After holding this office ten years he was elected superior. His holy zeal for strict religious discipline, and for the purity of the clergy, as well as his deep humility and sincere piety induced the General of his Order to entrust him with the foundation of two new Theatine houses, one at Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, the other at Piacenza
Piacenza
Piacenza is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Piacenza...
. By his efforts many more Theatine houses rose up in various diocese of Italy. As superior of some of these new foundations he was so successful in converting sinners and heretics by his prudence in the direction of souls and by his eloquent preaching, that numerous disciples thronged around him, eager to be under his spiritual guidance. One of the most noteworthy of his disciples was Lorenzo Scupoli
Lorenzo Scupoli
Lorenzo Scupoli was the author of Il combattimento spirituale , one of the most important works of Catholic spirituality.-Life:...
, the author of that still popular book The Spiritual Combat. St. Charles Borromeo was an intimate friend of Avellino and sought his advice in the most important affairs of the Church. He also requested Avellino to establish a new Theatine house in Milan.
Works
Through indefatigable in preaching, hearing confessionConfession
This article is for the religious practice of confessing one's sins.Confession is the acknowledgment of sin or wrongs...
s, and visiting the sick, Avellino still had time to write some ascetical works. His letters were published in 1731, at Naples, in two volumes, and his other ascetical works, three years later in five volumes.
Death
On 10 November 1608, when beginning the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, he was stricken with apoplexyApoplexy
Apoplexy is a medical term, which can be used to describe 'bleeding' in a stroke . Without further specification, it is rather outdated in use. Today it is used only for specific conditions, such as pituitary apoplexy and ovarian apoplexy. In common speech, it is used non-medically to mean a state...
, and after devoutly receiving the Holy Viaticum, died the death of a saint at the age of eighty-eight. In 1624, only 16 years after his death, he was beatified by Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII , born Maffeo Barberini, was pope from 1623 to 1644. He was the last pope to expand the papal territory by force of arms, and was a prominent patron of the arts and reformer of Church missions...
, and in 1712 was canonized by Pope Clement XI
Pope Clement XI
Pope Clement XI , born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was Pope from 1700 until his death in 1721.-Early life:...
.
Patronage
He is venerated as patron saintPatron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of Naples and Sicily and invoked especially against a sudden death. His remains lie buried in the Church of St. Paul at Naples.
External links
- Andrew Avellino
- St. Andrew Avellino - Catholic EncyclopediaCatholic EncyclopediaThe Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...
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